The NY Yankees are in trouble a bit when it comes to the starting rotation and a trade for a pitcher like Cliff Lee, Jeff Samardzija, Jason Hammel, Bronson Arroyo, Kyle Kendrick or David Price could be options for the franchise after dealing with injuries to CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova, as Hal Steinbrenner said he is willing to pay for more pitching and that could mean trading top prospect Gary Sanchez to do it.
The Yankees have been hit hard recently with the injury bug in the starting rotation and now Sabathia, Nova and Pineda are all on the DL and this comes after the team came into the season thinking that pitching was a strength. In spring training the team had a major competition between David Phelps, Vidal Nuno and Pineda for the fifth spot in the rotation and now that embarrassment of riches is looking barren. The team has their best prospect in Gary Sanchez and they likely will need to give him up or someone else to get a player like Lee or Samardzija, who has been mentioned quite a bit as a target for the Yankees.
Samardzija is an interesting option because the Cubs will be motivated to trade him, but they will not simply give him up to the Yankees without getting a decent return. Theo Epstein is trying to build a winner and while the Yankees did not have to give up a ton last year for Alfonso Soriano, that was more about money and this time with Samardzija, the Cubs likely will have multiple deals to consider at the deadline.
Samardzija came into the season as a player that was likely to get dealt this year, as he has not been able to get an extension done with the team yet and since they are in heavy rebuilding mode, he may want out. Samardzija has a 0-3 record this season but has a 1.45 ERA and that is just another reason why he could be an option to move and the Yankees will be in the mix for him.
The Yankees will also look at someone like Lee, but his contract may even be too much for Steinbrenner and that could lead to a trade for someone like Justin Masterson, Hammel or Arroyo. Hammel has been mentioned quite a bit already heading into the summer and Arroyo could be an option because he is an innings eater and as long as he stays healthy he is reliable. The Yankees have some major decisions to make and they have avoided trading big prospects recently for veterans, but that could chance with Masahiro Tanaka being the only consistent starter so far this season.
Chase Whitley showed in the finale of the Subway Series against the Mets that he could be a solid starting option and while he is young and that was his first start, he could be someone that handles things until Sabathia or Pineda return. Whitley doesn't need to be an ace either and neither do Phelps or Nuno, as they really just need to keep the Yankees in games as long as possible so that the bullpen is not taxed as well, especially with Shawn Kelley also dealing with a back injury.
