New York Yankees Urged to Go ‘All-In’ During MLB Trade Deadline

The New York Yankees trade deadline plans would be promising if they took this approach.

Aug 23, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with the media before the game between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It's fair to call the rest of the season a do-or-die one for the New York Yankees. If this team continues to play as it has over the past two months, major changes will likely be on the horizon.

It's been as disappointing of a stretch as ever, but it's also given the front office a chance to see where they need to improve. If there aren't multiple trades in the next week, only the Yankees front office should be blamed. It's clear that this team, as currently constructed, isn't good enough to win a World Series.

They have an above-average farm system, which should help them land players. It's a buyers' market, which makes things tougher than some years, but they have enough in the farm system to make multiple moves to better this roster.

It'll be up to them to determine which areas they want to improve. Rumors have suggested that they're looking for bullpen help and hitters who could make an impact in the lineup. New York's bullpen has been brutal for the past two months, and their lineup has also been a major issue.

Both areas must improve.

Perhaps more important than anything else, they don't know if Juan Soto will ever wear a Yankees jersey again after this season. Soto is expected to hit free agency, which should only make them more aggressive.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com wrote about nine teams that should be doing whatever it takes at the deadline, including New York, specifically mentioning the Soto dilemma.

"The Yanks had the best record in the Majors as of mid-June, but they have one of the worst records in the time since. They have too much riding on their only year of control of Juan Soto to let this Deadline pass quietly.

"They will be active in searching for upgrades on a lineup too dependent on Soto and Aaron Judge (and lately, rookie Ben Rice), a bullpen that needs amplification and a rotation that has run into some roadblocks."

Castrovince also listed multiple players who they could land, including Luis Rengifo, who might help this lineup more than any other player on the trade market could.

Rengifo would essentially give the Yankees exactly what they're missing, as he can swing the bat at a high level and is an infielder who can play second and third base. Second and third base production has been an issue all year, so adding a hitter who's slashing .314/.357/.439 with an OPS+ of 123 could help change that.