With just a few days left before the MLB trade deadline, talk around pitchers is heating up. According to ESPN.com, Johnny Cueto was just dealt from the Cincinnati Reds to the Kansas City Royals, leaving a few options left for teams looking for an arm to carry them into the postseason. The New York Yankees are trying to determine if they are a team looking for another arm and a lot of it will depend on CC Sabathia.
The Yankees' ace had a forgettable first-half of the season. He was one of the weakest links on the New York roster as his ERA got out of control. Sabathia is coming off a strong start following the All-Star break and one more outing like that could silence critics saying the Yankees need to get rid of him. On Saturday he did not exactly do that, lasting only 5.2 innings while giving up six hits and five runs which has New York torn on how to approach the trade deadline.
According to Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com, the Yankees remain confident in Sabathia, but are not ruling out the idea of an addition. General manager Brian Cashman told the media that unless the price is right, the Yankees will not move on a deal. The team is hesitant to give up a lot for a pitcher that is only going to be a one-season rental, but with Sabathia continuing to be inconsistent, they are running out of other choices.
The best move for the Yankees could be Cole Hamels. The New York Post is reporting that Yankees have been scouting Hamels and likely saw the no-hitter he tossed on Saturday. Currently locked in for three more seasons, the no-hitter likely raised the asking price for Hamels, but might not have turned the Yankees interest away completely.
David Price is the other option for New York. According to the Detroit Free Press, Price's agent is confident the pitcher is moved at the deadline after he made it clear he would not be re-signing with the Tigers in free agency. The Yankees have been eyeing Price for some time now and could finally make the move to acquire him. Again, the asking price for Price will be steep and New York must determine the need.
ESPN is still linking New York to trade deals for closers. Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel are the players in question. The need for a closer is not as great as the need for another starting pitcher which could be the deciding factor for the Yankees.