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The New York Yankees are one of the best teams in Major League Baseball in 2026, and are, once again, a team likely to act as buyers at the MLB trade deadline.
Last year, they added a lot of talent, and this season, there is one need already emerging that's likely to be a target for the Yankees at this year's deadline.
According to MLB insider for USA Today, Bob Nightengale, the Yankees reportedly have one position they likely want to address, and it's a late-inning reliever.
Yankees have late-inning reliever high on trade deadline wish list
"They trust closer David Bednar, but would prefer not to hold their breath every time he takes the mound, and want another late-inning reliever as a safety net," Nightengale writes.
This report from Nightengale is interesting. The 31-22 Yankees don't seem to trust David Bednar to be the full-time closer, and for good reason.
He has a 4.91 ERA this season, so this concern for the Yankees is not unfounded. Adding a better closer would make a lot of sense for the Yankees this season.
Camilo Doval has a 5.40 ERA, and the rest of the bullpen aren't players the Yankees could confidently put up there as a closer this season.
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Adding a late-inning reliever is a priority for the Yankees this season at the trade deadline on August 3rd. The only question will be who they wind up targeting.
Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox would be ideal, but there's little chance Boston makes a trade with the Yankees.
Riley O'Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals, Paul Seawald of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bryan Abreu of the Houston Astros, or Antonio Senzatela of the Colorado Rockies would make sense as trade targets. Josh Hader of the Astros could be a bold one as well.
Regardless of who the Yankees wind up targeting, it's clear that the Yankees need to add more help to the back-end of their bullpen this year.
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