3 Teams Who Could Trade for San Francisco Giants Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski
The San Francisco Giants are going to have a lot of eyes on them this offseason now that their front office is under new management.
With Buster Posey taking over as president of baseball operations, and a new general manager to be hired soon, it will be interesting to see how they operate. How aggressive will they be after the previous regime, led by Farhan Zaidi, went for it last winter and came up short?
While people focus on additions, if new players are brought in, that means others have to be on the move. One player who could be dangled as a trade chip this offseason is outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.
Who could be interested in the solid veteran? Here are three teams that could trade for Yastrzemski this offseason.
New York Yankees
The Bronx Bombers have bigger fish to try this offseason, namely, trying to re-sign Juan Soto. This year’s starting left fielder, Alex Verdugo, is also set to hit free agency after the season.
Depending on how things go on those fronts will determine how much of a need an outfielder is for the Yankees. They also have young star Jasson Dominguez ready to take over a starting spot in 2025.
Yastrzemski is a solid backup plan for New York as someone who can handle center field, taking wear and tear off of Aaron Judge. Yastrzemski could also have career power numbers playing at Yankee Stadium with the short porch in right field.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Eventually, ownership has to open up the checkbook and spend a little money. The pitching staff, specifically the starting rotation, is too good to build up the rest of the roster. With Paul Skenes, Jared Jones and Mitch Keller atop the rotation, they can compete in 2025 with a few lineup upgrades.
The outfield needs a lot of help. Oneil Cruz being shifted into center field could solve some of the issues, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have some contingency plans in place. The acquisition of Bryan De La Cruz ahead of the deadline wasn’t as impactful as the team hoped.
Yastrzemski would provide the team with a player who can fill in at any spot in the grass. He isn’t the perfect hitter, but his OPS+ of 110 would have been third among Pittsburgh players who qualified this season, presenting a massive upgrade to the lineup.
Philadelphia Phillies
The National League contenders did not have as long of a postseason stay as they were expecting. Their NL East rivals, the New York Mets, defeated them in four games in the NLDS to send them home early.
This offseason is a big one for the franchise, as their title window is beginning to slowly shut. If they want to make the most of this core, bringing in upgrades this offseason is imperative.
Center field is one of the spots that need help and Yastrzemski could provide them a stop-gap until Justin Crawford is ready to assume the role. Castellanos is entrenched in right field, but if Philadelphia is willing to eat money to move him, the Giants veteran could slide right into that spot.