The New York Yankees made a big splash this past winter, adding superstar outfielder Juan Soto to form MLB’s top hitting duo with Aaron Judge, after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
With a 50-22 record to begin the season, the Yankees appeared to be the best baseball club, which was quite promising in the early going. But over the course of the last 30 games, New York has gone 10–20 due to a variety of injuries, subpar play by important players, and a general lack of depth.
The Yankees obviously need to make a few changes before the July 30 trade deadline in order to stay in the running for the postseason. In light of that, the following three deals are reasonable for New York to contemplate in order to strengthen its roster for the final stretch.
Purchase RHP Michael Kopech of the White Sox
The Yankees will look to trade for bullpen help, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who made this revelation last month during an interview on the “Foul Territory” podcast. Rosenthal reports that because the New York bullpen ranks 20th in the majors in strikeouts (341), the team is seeking relievers who can produce more swings and misses.
Even though Kopech has a 5.05 ERA, which is far from ideal, his hardballs could be the answer to New York’s problems. The underperforming White Sox will almost certainly be sellers at the trade deadline next week, and one of the team’s most intriguing trade assets is Kopech, who will be a free agency in 2026 and is eligible for arbitration this offseason. With a fastball velocity in the 99th percentile and a strikeout percentage in the 93rd percentile, Kopech possesses one of the most potent and nasty pitch repertoires in MLB, according to Baseball Savant.
In spite of his dismal ERA, the 28-year-old has a projected ERA of 3.95, indicating that unfavorable circumstances and a subpar supporting group have affected his output. While Yankee Stadium is by no means a pitcher’s paradise, Kopech might be one of this season’s most underappreciated trade deadline additions and would certainly benefit from a change of scenery.
Acquire outfielder Kevin Pillar and Angels RHP Carlos Estevez.
Kopech shouldn’t be New York’s only addition to the bullpen; the organization needs to add a couple arms before it can be satisfied with its present squad. Estevez, the June American League Reliever of the Month, might be the most sought-after trade target right now.
Estevez had a terrible start to the season, going 6–17 in his first 12 appearances before Angels bullpen coach Steve Karsay determined the right-hander’s problems were probably related to a delivery problem. Estevez has become one of the best relievers in baseball after changing his delivery; in his last 17 appearances, he has converted 10 saves without giving up an earned run.
Estevez is a free agent in the near future, but acquiring him at the trade deadline will probably cost more money. But the Yankees would be better off paying the price for him because he could take over as the team’s setup man right away.
In contrast, Pillar is an inexpensive but strong addition to include in any possible trade for Estevez. The Yankees would gain from acquiring another outfielder since Alex Verdugo is having trouble both in the field and at the plate. With seven home runs and 32 RBI this season, right-hander Pillar is slashing.273/.333/.465; he might be a valuable platoon player alongside Verdugo.
Get Isiah Kiner-Falefa, an infielder with the Blue Jays,
Given that their third basemen have combined to post 0.3 bWAR, the seventh-fewest among teams at the position, third base is another hole the Yankees would like to fill before the trade deadline.
Nevertheless, it’s unclear that New York will be able to realistically pursue any significant difference-makers, like Ryan McMahon of Colorado or Isaac Paredes of Tampa Bay. Because of this, the Yankees may decide to shop about, and if Kiner-Falefa is able to recover from his knee sprain in time, it may be worthwhile to pursue a reunion.
Before suffering an injury, Kiner-Falefa—who signed with Toronto this past offseason after spending the previous two seasons with the Yankees—was having a career year on the offensive end. Along with seven home runs and 33 RBI in 83 games, Kiner-Falefa slashed.292/.338/.420, all career bests. Kiner-Falefa’s strong defense and positional versatility would be a much-needed addition to New York’s lineup, even if his bat cools off in the second half.
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