Already the Yankees have swung a major trade with the White Sox that landed third baseman/first baseman/slugger Todd Frazier and right-handed relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle in the Bronx. That's a full deadline's work for most teams, but to hear GM Brian Cashman not quite tell it but rather imply it, the Yanks may not be done dealing.
Via Mike Mazzeo of the New York Daily News, here's what Cashman had to say about the road from here to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline:
"I'm going to stay engaged. I still think we want to be careful buyers as we walk this line of trying to maximize the present as well as protect the future."
This time of year, "stay engaged" is of course GM-speak for "make and receive phone calls regarding potential trades." That's indeed what Cashman will do. The part about walking the line is interesting in light of their newfound bullpen depth.
As explored earlier in this space, Fox's Ken Rosenthal on Wednesday wondered whether the Yankees might tap into that depth in order to land a starting pitcher prior to the deadline. By packaging, say, Dellin Betances with some lesser prospects, the Yankees might be able to pry away a rotation piece without parting with any more of their best long-term assets.
That might be hard to do, given the heated market for starters leading up to the trade deadline, but if the Yankees set their sights on a mid-rotation sort rather than an ace, the it's more doable.
In any event, by the sounds of things the Yankees may not be done making moves -- moves in the service of winning now without compromising 2018 and beyond.
