Yankees interested in trading for $15 million pitcher from rival

The New York Yankees have a clear need to add to their pitching staff, and they are linked to a starting pitcher from a division rival.

The Yankees are chasing down the Toronto Blue Jays for the top spot in the AL East and will look to bolster their roster ahead of the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

Ahead of the deadline, MLB insider Buster Olney reported that the Yankees are interested in trading for Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles.

“It seems very likely that Charlie Morton (3.47 ERA last 12 appearances) will be traded, within a relatively thin starting pitching market and a lot of teams looking for help -- the Padres, Yankees, maybe the Mets or Astros; a number of teams have expressed interest," Olney wrote on X.

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"In the past, Morton has had a preference to pitch for a team closer to the East Coast and his FL home, but he doesn't control that. O's GM Mike Elias does,” Olney added.

Morton signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Orioles but will likely be traded as Baltimore is a clear seller ahead of the deadline.

The 41-year-old would be a good No. 3 or No. 4 starter for the Yankees and add some much-needed depth to the starting rotation. Morton is 5-8 with a 5.58 ERA in 21 games, including 15 starts, but in his last 15 games, he’s 5-2 with a 3.78 ERA in 15 games, including 10 starts.

The Yankees are 56-45 and three games back of the Blue Jays for the top spot in the division.

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