When baseball begins the Yankees will be on a singular mission to win their 28th World Series title. Dealing these three stars would help their chances
Nothing short of a World Series Championship will be good enough for the Yankees this season. The team’s current roster has a chance to accomplish that goal when the season begins, but it’s far from perfect. That’s why GM Brian Cashman will inevitably look to retool things on the fly in a few month’s time.
The day of the Yankees acquiring big name stars with big salaries for no talent in return are over. The franchise is no longer willing to accept those sorts of deals. As such, Cashman will need to give up significant talent if he wants the opportunity to land players who are better suited to help his team win now.
That doesn’t mean Cashman should only focus on dealing prospects for established stars. Very few players on the roster should be above trade consideration. The following three guys should be sent packing if Cashman can find the right deal.
3. Clint Frazier
If the season somehow magically started today, Frazier would be in line for serious playing time. Aaron Judge’s lung injury would give the talented slugger another chance to impress the Yankees’ brass at the major league level.
In the long run his inability to play either corner outfield spot is going to earn him a ticket out-of-town. He’s got good pop from the right side, but he’s not so dominant at the plate that he deserves to be the team’s everyday designated hitter. That means Frazier is utterly expendable when the team’s outfield returns to something approximating full strength.
The good news is that Frazier is still young enough to bring back some interesting value in a trade. Flipping him for a Top 100 prospect would be the ideal scenario for Cashman. That’s an ambitious goal, but not an impossible one.