The New York Yankees have done enough to silence their doubters in the first third of the season. They boast the best record in Major League Baseball and are dominating the AL East ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays; two teams predicted to fare better than them this season.
Their rotation has been stellar, their bullpen reliable, and their offense continues to find ways to win games even when things don't go their way.
But even great things could be better, and history has shown us that Brian Cashman loves to capitalize on ample opportunities when the trade deadline is approaching.
With that in mind, MLB insider Joel Sherman recently revealed that the Yankees are in the mix to land Victor Robles, Andrew Benintendi, and David Robertson. Here, we'll make a case for every one of these moves.
The Yankees could use an upgrade on the outfield, as neither Joey Gallo nor Aaron Hicks has been exactly productive offensively. Also, they've both been linked with potential trades somewhere else.
Victor Robles is relatively young, so the Washington Nationals may not want to part ways with him, especially considering his stellar defense. Also, chances are they only make this move if that helps them get salaries off their books or move more pieces.
David Robertson would be a stopgap until the end of the season as he'll be a free agent at the end of the year. He's familiar with Yankee Stadium from his two previous stops with the Yankees, but he didn't leave the team on the best terms.
He's currently posting an elite 1.59 ERA to go along with a 0.971 WHIP, and the Yankees aren't likely to bring back Aroldis Chapman on a closer role for the time being, so this makes sense. They could face steep competition for his services, though.
Andrew Benintendi makes the most sense for the Yankees right now. Even if Aaron Hicks and Joey Gallo can sustain their recent offensive surge, which seems unlikely, Benintendi would still be the best fit for the future.
He's on a team-friendly deal cost-wise until the end of the season and has been one of the best outfielders in the game, both offensively and defensively. He can cover a lot of ground, play all over the outfield, and be a plus addition at the plate. What's not to like there?
