The New York Yankees are in a tough spot with injuries and a trade for a pitcher could be in the works soon, as names like Cliff Lee, Jeff c, Justin Masterson, Jason Hammel and Mark Buehrle could be available and this comes as NY is flirting with the idea of signing Kendrys Morales, who is a free agent and will have his draft compensation lifted on Thursday when the draft for 2014 begins.
The Yankees have been up and down this season and have mostly been mediocre while dealing with injuries in the rotation and that has sparked numerous rumors about who they could go after. According to the Star-Ledger, the Yankees are not panicking yet, but they have compiled some names that could be in the mix if Brian Cashman wants to trade and players like Lee, Price, Hammel and Samardzija are the top pitchers along with Masterson that the Yankees could get. The team is dealing with numerous injuries in the rotation, as they lost Ivan Nova for the season to Tommy John and both CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda are on the DL.
The Yankees have been getting by for now with David Phelps, Vidal Nuno and Chase Whitley in the rotation, but that doesn't sound like a playoff rotation. The Yankees have Masahiro Tanaka as their ace with Hiroki Kuroda right now, so basically it's two Japanese dudes and the Scranton all-stars holding it down for now and that means Cashman could look at dealing. The pitching has been an issue and that doesn't even get to the offense, which has struggled with Mark Teixeira in and out of the lineup along with Derek Jeter and the loss of Robinson Cano. Kelly Johnson has been solid coming in, but the Yankees could use some power with Alfonso Soriano slumping so hard.
CBS Sports reports that the Yankees have called in on Morales, who has draft pick compensation on him until this week after playing for the Mariners last season. Morales could give some power but not any defense in the field and that likely is the main issue in signing him. The Yankees need some pop and Morales comes in after leading the Mariners in home runs last season. The Yankees just lost 10-2 to those Mariners and fell to the A's on Tuesday night and they are trailing the Blue Jays in the division now.
Samardzija has a great ERA and plays for a bad team in the Cubs and he could be a great option since he is young, while Hammel is also with the Cubs and could come over in a deal. Samardzija has been dealing all season and he has interest from the Colorado Rockies and the Baltimore Orioles as well. Hammel is 31 and he could be a short term option this year and he has played fairly well this season and the Yankees could go for him. Lee is making over $20 million so that may not be the route the Yankees want to take, but he is hurt right now and on the DL, so that likely scratches the deal for now anyway.
