{"id":126790,"date":"2026-07-24T21:49:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T01:49:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=126790"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:51:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T01:51:31","slug":"yankees-could-capitalize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/24\/yankees-could-capitalize\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees Could Capitalize on an AL East Trade Deadline Sell-off"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Major League Baseball <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/19\/yankees-lindor-trade\/\" target=\"_self\">trade deadline<\/a> is around the corner. Fortunately, the New York Yankees could capitalize on a potential sell-off from an American League East rival. Who could they pursue?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brian Cashman\u2019s Yankees need<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/12\/mlb-first-half-awards\/\" target=\"_self\">\u00a0some teeth<\/a> in some parts of the roster. The club is rolling in the right direction right now in the AL East. While the tables have turned for some other teams this season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Toronto Blue Jays are one of those teams; in fact, they are the main character in this horror movie they star in. Toronto is 12.5 games behind first place in the American League East and six games behind in the wild card race. What a difference between now and the 2025 World Series.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, it\u2019s a bit premature to be speaking on the standings; however, this topic plays a part in the talks of the trade deadline. There\u2019s always room for teams in such a position to make a comeback, as the Blue Jays did last season. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Right now, that type of turnaround is very hard to see. That being said, the club could be sellers at this season\u2019s trade deadline. The Blue Jays have a few solid pieces that are worth market value, as well as players that could make a postseason impact for the Yankees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Yankees Could Capitalize on Blue Jays Sell-off With Two Blue Jays Starting Pitchers<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/mlb\/article\/bieber-strengthens-trade-appeal-as-blue-jays-snap-four-game-skid\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shane Bieber<\/a> would be a high target for the Yankees, should they pursue any more pitching at the trade deadline. Bieber started his tenure with Toronto last season, as he was a huge part of the 2025 World Series run.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBzxmPlMRn\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 3072px; aspect-ratio: 3072\/2048;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right-handed pitcher has returned from injury and has rejoined his club in the starting rotation. He\u2019s thrown 23 and 2 \/ 3 innings with a 5.70 ERA. His numbers have been mediocre, and his performance overall has been inconsistent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is because Bieber has been rehabbing and getting up to speed with his pitch profile. Once he finds it, he\u2019ll be back to elite status. The right-handed starter is in his player option year with the Blue Jays; however, he may not be around for long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toronto is at risk of losing him and gaining nothing for it; this is where the Yankees become valuable. There\u2019s a chance the club could chase Bieber, offering options from the late top 20 prospects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Kevin Gausman\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other high-leverage arm for the Blue Jays that could be on the move is right-handed starter, Toronto\u2019s ace, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gausmke01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Gausman<\/a>. North of the border, Blue Jays fans and analysts agree that this could be Gausman\u2019s last couple of weeks in Toronto.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126803\" style=\"width: 6417px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29428560.webp\" alt=\"Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman walking towards the dugout vs the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees could capitalize and add a quality arm to their starting rotation if the Blue Jays decide to deal Gausman at the Deadline.\" width=\"6417\" height=\"4479\" class=\"wp-image-126803 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29428560.webp 6417w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29428560-768x536.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 6417px) 100vw, 6417px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jul 21, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) walks toward the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right-hander is in the last year of his contract, becoming a free agent in 2027. He is another strapped arm that is a big-situation-style player. The ace pitcher has led the Blue Jays rotation and team exceptionally throughout the season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The veteran offers very durable innings and a very elite pitch profile. Like Bieber, Gausman was a huge part of the club\u2019s regular season success that led to a fruitful World Series run. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/schmicl01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Clarke Schmidt<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rodonca01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carlos Rod\u00f3n<\/a> are currently on the injured list, with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/f\/friedma01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Max Fried<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/21\/yankees-announce-max-frieds-surprise-return-vs-pirates\/\" target=\"_self\">just rejoining the team<\/a>. The club could use another starter or mid-reliever, given their injury track record and recovery time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although there are options, both Bieber and Gausman could be major contributors for New York.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>George Springer\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/17\/aaron-judge-update-rib\/\" target=\"_self\">Aaron Judge<\/a> is currently injured and slated to return late August. <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cody Bellinger<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/grishtr01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trent Grisham<\/a>, and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rosaram01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amed Rosario<\/a> are outfield options; however, what would a starting postseason outfield look like?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Judge, Bellinger, and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/springe01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">George Springer<\/a>. The Blue Jays outfielder is in his final season with the club and is going to be a free agent in 2027. Springer brings postseason experience, World Series experience, and exposure to big market baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126804\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126804\" style=\"width: 6136px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29403660.webp\" alt=\"Toronto Blue Jays left fielder George Springer hits an RBI single vs the Chicago White Sox.\" width=\"6136\" height=\"4294\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29403660.webp 6136w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/07\/USATSI_29403660-768x537.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 6136px) 100vw, 6136px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126804\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jul 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder George Springer (4) hits an RBI single against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The outfielder could be in the talks of a trade, and the Bronx would be a good landing spot. His bat, consistency, and veteran presence would be very complimentary in the Yankees&#8217; lineup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The former AL Champions are not in any situation to be contenders. They\u2019ll be selling off pieces, and the Yankees might be very happy about that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Major League Baseball trade deadline is around the corner. Fortunately, the New York Yankees could capitalize on a potential sell-off from an American League East rival. Who could they pursue? Brian Cashman\u2019s Yankees need\u00a0some teeth in some parts of the roster. The club is rolling in the right direction right now in the AL [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5126,"featured_media":126802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1071,35,7],"tags":[501,676,197,899,548,1331,218,2094,49,3226],"class_list":["post-126790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","category-news","category-bluejays","tag-aaron-judge","tag-brian-cashman","tag-carlos-rodon","tag-cody-bellinger","tag-george-springer","tag-kevin-gausman","tag-max-fried","tag-shane-bieber","tag-trade-deadline","tag-trent-grisham"],"modified_by":"Augustus Oswald, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5126"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126790"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126790\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":126806,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126790\/revisions\/126806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}