The New York Yankees could stand to improve their rotation before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, as starting pitching has been a common problem amid their recent slide.
But the equation ultimately might involve more than simply adding a starter, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday morning — one day after the Bronx Bombers earned a series win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park — that the Yankees could trade pitcher Nestor Cortes.
“Nestor Cortes is a name that’s definitely out there,” Heyman posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Won’t be shocked if he’s moved.”
USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported Monday evening that the Yankees were in extensive talks with the Detroit Tigers about Jack Flaherty, arguably the best starting pitcher available ahead of the trade deadline. Nightengale added New York plans to trade Cortes if it lands Flaherty, lending more credence to Heyman’s report from earlier in the day.
This is somewhat surprising, seeing as you can never have enough pitching and contenders usually don’t trade from their rotation — especially when it’s a glaring need. Plus, Cortes has been mostly solid for New York over the past four seasons. The 29-year-old left-hander owns a 4.13 ERA in 22 starts (124 1/3 innings) this season. He was an All-Star for the Yankees in 2022.
But perhaps Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has something up his sleeve as New York looks to solidify its roster and find some stability after a midseason rough patch. The Yankees’ stretch-run plans conceivably could include a rotation comprised of Flaherty, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman and Luis Gil, with Clarke Schmidt also potentially returning and factoring into the mix at some point. Cortes could be used as a trade chip to shore up another area of weakness.
All told, the Yankees are one of the more fascinating teams to watch before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. They obviously have World Series aspirations, which could lead to a sense of urgency on the trade market.
