The New York Yankees are in the playoff hunt and in possession of the top American League wild card spot. However, without Aaron Judge, they have lost ground in the AL East and are now three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays.
But they still are a threat to reach the World Series in a very weak American League, and they will have their eyes on making some upgrades to enhance their chances at a playoff run.
They could use offense, particularly a right-handed bat. Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN put together a list of top trade candidates. Among them was Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, and the Yankees were named a strong fit.
“Jeffers should return from a hamate bone fracture well before the deadline, and he’s clearly the best catcher available. Few contending teams are actively interested in acquiring a catcher, which muddies the situation slightly.
“The Yankees are the obvious match.”
What Ryan Jeffers Can Bring to Yankees
Jeffers has been out for quite some time with his injury, but when he comes back, he could be a huge upgrade for any team in need of a catcher or a right-handed bat.
Before the injury, Jeffers was hitting .295/.408/.541 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and a .949 OPS. He brings power from the right side of the plate and could easily platoon with Austin Wells behind the dish. Wells is a left-handed bat, so having a right-handed piece would make a lot of sense for the Yankees.
And because Jeffers is on an expiring contract, the Yankees shouldn’t have to give up too much to acquire him, if that is who they decide to target.
The Yankees need a little more balance in their lineup if they want to catch the Rays. They simply have too many left-handed bats, and that is going to need to change if they hope to make a run.
The Rays aren’t going to be easy to catch, but Jeffers would help balance out the offense and give them a little more variety, especially against left-handed pitchers. This has been Jeffers’ best season at the plate in his career so far.
Yankees Need to Be Bold at Deadline
The Yankees are going to have to take bold action at the deadline, and acquiring somebody like Jeffers could help them sneak in front of the Rays in the AL East later in the season.
But they would be wise to seek big upgrades. Because of the season he is having with Minnesota, the 29-year-old catcher could be a significant upgrade for the Yankees.
This would give them a right-handed bat while they wait for Judge to come back. Judge is still on the injured list, so the Yankees will need somebody to help pick up the slack until he returns.
It will be interesting to see what general manager Brian Cashman is thinking and how he will go about adding to his roster in the coming weeks. The deadline is on August 3 this year.
Yankees Called ‘Obvious Match’ For $6 Million Twins Catcher