New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Starting Rotation, Second Base Could Be Addressed By Yankees
New York Yankees trade rumors have mentioned Cole Hamels and second base options recently. The Yankees might choose to address the starting rotation or second base in the coming weeks, as revealed in a report from Fox Sports. The question about the pitching could be settled if Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia continue to perform. Both pitchers looked good in their last starts, giving Yankees fans some hope that the rotation could be a strength for the team again.
When it comes to a real “problem” position for the Yankees, the team still hasn’t found a suitable replacement for Robinson Cano at second base. Stephen Drew has simply not hit well, posting a.168 batting average through his first 52 games. Drew is 29-for-173 at the plate, though he does have seven home runs in that time. Jose Pirela has seen some spot starts due to Drew’s struggles, but he has just a.268 on-base percentage and.659 OPS through 41 at-bats. Combined, the second basemen are simply not getting it done on offense.
Recent New York Yankees trade rumors have linked the team to Ben Zobrist of the Oakland Athletics and Dustin Ackley of the Seattle Mariners. Zobrist is the better option of the two players, but also the more expensive player in both salary and return package. To get Zobrist from the Athletics, the Yankees might have to give up a top prospect. Thus far, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has shown himself unwilling to do that. As Ackley struggles with the Mariners, he might be easier to acquire, but he might also not solve the problems on offense if he cannot break out of his slump.
Last season, Ben Zobrist had a.272 batting average,.354 on-base percentage, and 47 extra base hits for the Tampa Bay Rays. As previously reported on the Inquisitr, the New York Mets are also looking at him for that reason. Dustin Ackley hit.245 for the Mariners with 45 extra base hits, but in 2015, his average has dipped to just.197 over 50 games (25-for-127). As for Cole Hamels, who would be a very expensive option on the trade market, he has a 2.88 ERA and 1.107 WHIP for the Philadelphia Phillies through 12 starts and 81 and one third innings this season. He is an unlikely acquisition due to his overall cost, but it might be a move to keep him away from the Boston Red Sox.
Acquiring Zobrist makes the most sense if the Yankees can avoid giving up either Luis Severino or Bryan Mitchell in a deal. He is in the final year of his contract with the Athletics, meaning it would likely also be a short-term acquisition. That being said, he would fit perfectly on defense and add a lot to the offense for the Yankees. As more New York Yankees trade rumors begin to surface, the chatter about Zobrist is what fans should pay the most attention to. He fits the needs of the team, the Athletics want to trade him, and he doesn’t require a long-term commitment.
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