It’s time to look into our crystal ball.
As the 2021 MLB season gears up for action, the Yankees are one of the favorites to win it all. Brian Cashman’s team is loaded with depth and power. No one would be surprised to see the Yankees run away and hide in the AL East. It’s clearly an October-or-bust season in the Bronx.
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But come July, help may be needed to get over the hump or to improve the chances at winning it all. Some stars will under perform. Some will get hurt. Holes will emerge, even if we can’t see them coming right now.
Here’s a guess at five players the Yankees could end up chasing before the July 31 trade deadline.
Kevin Gausman, RHP, Giants
Gausman was a popular Yankees trade target last summer, and with good reason. The former top-five Orioles draft pick finally figured out (thanks to San Francisco’s analysts and coaching) how to miss bats (11.9 SO/9) and generate swings and misses. It unlocked the star that was always lurking in an arm that could hit 97 MPH with ease. Gausman signed a one-year qualifying offer for the 2021 season, and looks like an emerging ace. Could be Corey Kluber’s replacement if the former Cy Young winner can’t stay healthy.
Brandon Belt, 1B, Giants
Everything about Belt’s approach at the plate fits the Yankees philosophy. He’s left-handed, and could see a spike in production with the short porch in the Bronx vs. the expansive outfield in San Francisco. He’s selective at the plate, and a pest for opposing pitchers. He could play the field or just DH. He could bat anywhere in the order. Coming off a monster year (178 OPS+), but came into camp slowed by both COVID and mono in the offseason. Will soon have 10-and-5 rights, potentially complicating a trade.
German Marquez, RHP, Rockies
The Yankees have a type. It’s not necessarily a power pitcher. It’s not necessarily a lefty or a righty. It’s a pitcher that controls the zone with command, and posts impressive strikeout-to-walk ratios. Enter Marquez, a pitcher that’s likely already on the radar within Cashman’s department. Since the start of the 2017 season, Marquez owns a 3.77 SO/BB across 613.2 innings. That ranks 10th among pitchers to throw at least 550 innings in that span. The only pitchers ahead of Marquez on that list: Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, Kyle Hendricks and Mike Leake. Pretty good company, including a current and former Yankees starter.
Luis Castillo, RHP, Reds
An ace hiding in plain sight, and on a team that might sell off every good player in July. The 28-year-old righty has started 44 games over the last two seasons, including the pandemic-shortened 2020. Here is a snapshot of his numbers, especially impressive considering the launching pad that is Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark.
IP: 260.2
ERA: 3.35
ERA+: 140
FIP: 3.41
SO/9: 10.9
SO/BB: 3.06
Josh Hader, LHP, Brewers
For the first time in a very long time, the Yankees bullpen feels good, not special. Sure, Aroldis Chapman has a splitter now. Zack Britton should be OK after elbow surgery. There are some good young arms that could emerge. But if the Brewers entertain offers for Hader, the Yankees would have to put themselves in the mix. In a world in which the lineup and rotation stay healthy and effective, Hader could be the Yankees icing-on-the-cake move to win it all. The dominant lefty could neutralize lineups at any spot in October, similar to how ex-Yankee Andrew Miller did for the Cleveland Indians in 2016.
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Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com.