All eyes will be on the New York Yankees for the next two weeks.
With the Jul. 31 trade deadline approaching, the Yankees are in a state of flux. They've got the superstar talent to match up with anyone, and the division is still right there for the taking. But their roster also has some notable holes.
A new third baseman, an extra starting pitcher, and a bullpen facelift should all be on the table for the Yankees ahead of the trade deadline. But how many of those boxes will they check?
On Tuesday, New York Post insider Jon Heyman previewed the Yankees' trade deadline, and included an anecdote from a rival executive that foreshadowed some sort of major addition for the Bronx Bombers.
"The Yankees have multiple needs," Heyman wrote. "While an executive here suggested it feels like 'they will do something big,' Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has been saying for years that they should be able to win with a $300 million payroll, which is almost exactly where they are now, right on the cusp of the so-called Steve Cohen luxury tax, which ain’t cheap (110 percent for every dollar spent)."
The biggest thing that seems feasible for the Yankees to do would be acquiring Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who would only add to the payroll for the rest of this season.
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But there are other contending teams who need third baseman (Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers), and there's no guarantee the Diamondbacks will be willing to sell.
New York could also set the tone in both the starting pitching and relief markets, as there are impending free agents and cheap, controllable arms available in both categories. Much as is the case with the D-backs, though, many teams with those arms to sell haven't yet made up their minds.
The Yankees can't walk away from this deadline with only minor additions. And it seems like they know it, but it remains to be seen whether they'll be able to make magic happen.
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