Pablo Lopez would be a huge trade deadline addition to the New York Yankees roster. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The New York Yankees are in buy mode and can take advantage of a few Miami Marlins trade chips.
The New York Yankees are a buyer. The Miami Marlins are a seller. Could it be any more obvious?
The Yankees are positioned to make everything from several minor moves to a big blockbuster trade. They won’t be able to snag something on the scale of Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins in the next few days. However, they can definitely add a few pieces.
With everybody but Sandy Alcantara apparently available, which trade chips from Miami should the Yankees target?
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Pablo Lopez
SP Miami Marlins
New York Yankees trade target on the Marlins: Pablo Lopez
Well, that’s an easy pivot away from Alcantara. Pablo Lopez is the other Miami pitcher having a fantastic year. Now 7-5 through 20 starts with a 3.03 ERA, he’d be someone the Yankees could have around for a few more years. They have a couple of notable free agents coming off the books after this season. Jameson Taillon is one of them. Lopez could be an easy successor.
Lopez isn’t just riding a wave in 2022. He has been quietly productive for several years now. After 82 big league starts, he is 25-26 with a 3.77 ERA. At 26-years-old, the best is probably still in the future.
The Marlins could fetch quite a haul for Lopez whose availability might make him easily a top five trade candidate from a starting pitcher perspective. Rather than do business with the Cincinnati Reds and acquire Luis Castillo, the Yankees can contact the Marlins and see what it would take to land Lopez instead. They’d be able to keep him around longer anyway so it might be worth the larger asking price.