New York Yankees

The New York Yankees made the first notable move prior to the Aug. 2 trade deadline by acquiring All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals.

It was announced late Wednesday night that the Yankees were sending minor league pitchers Chandler Champlain, T.J. Sikkema and Beck Way to Kansas City for Benintendi.

The Bronx Bombers know Benintendi well from his five-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox from 2016 to 2020. He was named to his first All-Star team this season and is currently hitting .320/.387/.398 with three homers and 39 RBI in 93 games.

In the wake of the move, here are three instant reactions to what this means for the Yankees and the rest of Major League Baseball ahead of the trade deadline.

Joey Gallo's Yankees Tenure Is Likely Over

Yankees fans have understandably been frustrated by the performance of Joey Gallo since he was acquired from the Texas Rangers in July 2021. The two-time All-Star has a .160/.293/.371 slash line with 25 homers and 46 RBI in 418 at-bats with the team dating back to last season.

However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone has continued to play Gallo in the starting lineup, mostly in left field, fairly regularly. He has appeared in 80 games this season (64 starts).

The addition of Benintendi, whose primary position happens to be left field, means that Boone can relegate Gallo to the bench for the remainder of the season.

The 28-year-old Gallo still has massive power potential and can be used in a pinch-hitting role late in games, but his overall output got to a point where it was impossible for a team with World Series aspirations to keep rolling him out every game hoping for a different result.

There's also the possibility that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman shops Gallo around before Tuesday's deadline. However, it seems unlikely he'll find any takers given Gallo's play and that he is still owed around $4 million for the rest of the season.

New York could potentially eat most of Gallo's salary to facilitate a deal. If that doesn't happen, it wouldn't be a surprise if he gets designated for assignment as soon as next week.

Yankees Get Stanton Insurance

While the primary impetus for Cashman acquiring Benintendi was likely to replace Gallo, Benintendi also provides them with some insurance in the wake of Giancarlo Stanton's latest injury.

The Yankees announced Tuesday that Stanton was placed on the 10-day injured list with Achilles tendinitis.

In the announcement, Boone noted Stanton requested an MRI after waking up "really sore getting around and doing some things." He added the team hopes and believes "it's a minor thing," but Stanton's injury history does make this situation worth monitoring.

Stanton, who was named MVP of the 2022 All-Star Game, had a stint on the injured list earlier this season with a strained calf. He only missed 10 games before returning June 4, but the five-time All-Star has missed at least 23 games in each of the previous three seasons.

Benintendi is a very different player than Stanton, as his game is predicated on contact and a high batting average. Stanton is only hitting .228 this season, but he's slugging .498 with 24 homers in 289 at-bats.

The best version of this Yankees lineup will have Benintendi and Stanton playing together, but they won't need to rush Stanton back now.

Are the Yankees Out on Juan Soto?

There might be an air of disappointment hovering over Yankees fans after adding Benintendi because he's not Juan Soto.

ESPN's Jeff Passan recently said on an episode of ESPN Daily that New York has the prospects to make a competitive offer to the Washington Nationals for the 23-year-old superstar.

Any potential offer from the Yankees for Soto would presumably have to include shortstop Anthony Volpe, as the 21-year-old is the No. 7 overall prospect in baseball, per MLB.com.

There have been rumblings that the St. Louis Cardinals are emerging as a front-runner in the Soto sweepstakes.

Per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, the Cardinals' recent offer to Washington was built around 22-year-old second baseman Nolan Gorman and they would be willing to take on Patrick Corbin's contract to facilitate a deal.

It's still unclear how serious the Nationals are about potentially trading Soto during the season.

Passan noted earlier this week that executives around MLB are "unsure" about the sense of urgency from Washington general manager Mike Rizzo.

It seems unlikely this trade for Benintendi would prevent Cashman from going after Soto if he feels there is a real opportunity to get him. Benintendi can be a free agent at the end of this season; Soto is under team control through the 2024 season.

One potential scenario that the Yankees could be rooting for is Soto doesn't get traded by Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline. That would serve two purposes, with the first one being it means he also didn't get moved to another team hoping to win the World Series this year.

But from a long-term perspective, it would allow Cashman to come back to Soto during the offseason. Judge's free agency is looming over the Yankees after this season, and he already turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million offer in spring training.

Judge's asking price isn't going to go down, as he's in the midst of an MVP-caliber season. His pending free agency will be fascinating because he's an elite player right now, but he will also turn 31 in April.

Rather than commit, say, seven or eight years to a 31-year-old who missed a total of 142 games from 2018 to 2020, the Yankees could make an aggressive play to add Soto while he has two years of team control remaining and hope to sign him to a long-term deal before he hits free agency after his age-25 season.

New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge celebrated the arrival of outfielder Andrew Benintendi in a deal with the Kansas City Royals ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.

The Yankees announced they acquired Benintendi, a 2022 All-Star, for three pitching prospects—Chandler Champlain, T.J. Sikkema and Beck Way—after Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the New York Mets.

"Man, he's a really good player," Judge told reporters. "I've had a chance to play against him for quite a few years when he was playing over in Boston, and I've seen him do a lot of impressive things. It'll definitely be a big piece to what we've got going on here."

He added: "It will give us a real pump up for sure."

Benintendi is basically the antithesis of Joey Gallo, the much-maligned Yanks outfielder who's posted an unsightly .160 batting average since joining the club before last year's trade deadline.

The 28-year-old Ohio native can't match Gallo's pop with just three home runs in 93 appearances this season, but he gets on base at a high rate (.387 OBP) and plays solid defense, capturing a Gold Glove Award last season.

New York leads MLB with 168 homers in 2022, 14 more than the second-place Atlanta Braves, so losing a bit of power in favor of a more consistent hitter should benefit the lineup.

"He's obviously a really good player having an All-Star season," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "He has a track record of success with the Red Sox in their championship run and put together a really good year with the Royals."

Benintendi started his career with five years as a member of the Red Sox before getting traded to the Royals ahead of the 2021 campaign. His career slash line stands at .280/.352/.432 with 71 home runs and 65 stolen bases across 712 games.

The best spot for him in the Yanks lineup may be the No. 2 slot behind infielder DJ LeMahieu (.386 OBP), which would create a lot of RBI opportunities for Judge, Giancarlo Stanton (currently on the IL with an Achilles injury) and Anthony Rizzo when the team is at full strength.

Judge has built an MVP case from the No. 2 spot, however, so Boone and Co. may be hesitant to shift him down in the order. If that's the case, Benintendi will probably hit fifth or sixth.

Meanwhile, his arrival to Yankee Stadium could lead to Gallo's departure before next week's trade deadline.

Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media reported a source said Gallo is "hoping" for a trade to the San Diego Padres, whose front office is run by general manager A.J. Preller, who worked as a Texas Rangers executive when the club selected Gallo in the 2012 draft.

"He's waiting for something to happen," the source told Miller about Gallo's mindset.

The Yankees return to action Thursday night as they coincidentally open a four-game home series against the Royals.

Andrew Benintendi's time with the Kansas City Royals is over after fewer than two full seasons.

The team agreed to trade the outfielder to the New York Yankees for three minor leaguers on Wednesday.

The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired OF Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor leaguers RHP Chandler Champlain, LHP T.J. Sikkema and RHP Beck Way.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 28, 2022

ESPN's Jeff Passan first reported the trade Wednesday night.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the minor leaguers are T.J. Sikkema, Beck Way and Chandler Champlain.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Benintendi informed the team that he will receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Benintendi has missed games against the Toronto Blue Jays this season due to his vaccination status because of Canada's border policies.

That the Royals moved him doesn't come as much of a surprise. After all, he is scheduled for free agency following this season, and the team isn't a realistic contender at 39-59 in last place in the American League Central.

Rather than risk losing Benintendi to the free-agency market during the upcoming offseason, Kansas City got what it could in this move with an eye on the future.

There was a time when Benintendi was seen as the future of the Boston Red Sox as a highly regarded prospect in their system. He did nothing to temper expectations when he finished in second place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 and then helped lead the Red Sox to the World Series title the following season.

The Cincinnati native slashed .290/.366/.465 with 16 home runs, 87 RBI and 21 stolen bases for the championship team.

However, Benintendi took a step back in 2019 with every one of those numbers dropping on his way to a .266/.343/.431 slash line, 13 home runs, 68 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He then played just 14 games during the shortened 2020 campaign.

Boston traded him to the Royals ahead of the 2021 season, and it was fair to wonder if he would bounce back after struggling to live up to his early production and high expectations.

Yet Benintendi was a pleasant surprise for Kansas City last year as a Gold Glove winner with an OPS+ of 106 after it was 99 in 2019 and 25 in limited action in 2020, per Baseball Reference.

He also made his first career All-Star Game this season and is slashing .321/.389/.399 with three home runs and 39 RBI.

"If he continues to rake, he could be one of the biggest prizes of this year's trade deadline, and a hefty payday could be waiting next winter," Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote of Benintendi in April.

The payday may be coming down the line, but for now the 28-year-old who is in the middle of his prime and just received an individual boost from his last change of scenery will focus on pursuing his second career World Series title with a top contender.

New York is already in the middle of the playoff race at 66-33, and Benintendi should see plenty of pitches to hit in a lineup that also features Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and more.

If he continues to play at an elevated level for the rest of the year, he may know what it's like to be a champion on both sides of the biggest rivalry in baseball.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone knows his team still has a lot of work to do to bring home a World Series title.

"We're good. We know it," Boone said Wednesday, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "But obviously we're very beatable. We've got to do our best to be the last one standing."

At 66-32, the Yankees have the best record in the majors and entered the day with an 11.5-game lead in the American League East. The team still has struggled to begin the second half of the year, losing four of its first six games since the All-Star break.

The team is coming off a loss Tuesday to the rival New York Mets, while the Houston Astros have won five of seven against the Yankees this year.

The losses against quality opponents are enough to raise questions about whether they can win a championship.

New York has made the playoffs in each of the last five years, including the last four under Boone, but the squad is yet to advance to the World Series in this stretch. The team is on pace to win over 100 games for the third time in five years under Boone, but only once has he advanced beyond the division series as a manager.

There are still plenty of reasons for optimism.

Aaron Judge leads an elite offense that ranks first in the majors in runs and home runs. The deep pitching staff has been dominant as well, producing the third-best ERA. Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes could create one of the scariest starting pitcher combos once the playoffs begin.

Baseball Reference gives the Yankees a 27.8 percent chance of winning the World Series, the highest odds in baseball.

Boone's job is to help the squad reach expectations and bring home the first title since 2009.

The New York Yankees are reportedly targeting two of the top starting pitchers on the market, the Oakland Athletics' Frankie Montas and Cincinnati Reds' Luis Castillo, ahead of Tuesday's 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Wednesday the Yanks have made upgrading their rotation a "priority," but so far they aren't close to any blockbuster deals.

New York's starting staff has been mostly strong throughout 2022. Its starters rank third in ERA (3.31) behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers (2.77) and Houston Astros (3.21), per FanGraphs.

Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Jordan Montgomery and Jameson Taillon are all putting together strong seasons, so the only real question mark is the No. 5 spot with Domingo German and Luis Severino both being limited by injuries this season.

The Yankees aiming for a high-end arm like Montas or Castillo is more a product of them owning realistic World Series aspirations than trying to fill a desperate need.

Montas has compiled a 3.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 109 strikeouts in 104.2 innings across 19 starts for the A's this season. He's struck out 578 batters in 552.2 career innings.

The 29-year-old Dominican Republic native is one of several players Oakland could move before the deadline with the front office focused firmly on the future. The team owns MLB's second-worst record at 37-63 in large part because of a noncompetitive offense.

After Tuesday's start against the Astros, the right-hander admitted a potential move has been on his mind amid a flurry of trade rumors.

"I'm not gonna lie, of course I've been thinking about it," Montas told reporters. "Especially with the deadline coming up pretty soon. There was a time today that I thought, 'Hey, this might be my last start here.'"

Meanwhile, it's much the same story for Castillo and the Reds, who sit at 37-59 amid a rebuilding project.

Castillo, 29, earned his second All-Star selection this season while on pace to post career-best numbers despite playing home games in the bandbox known as Great American Ball Park. He's recorded a 2.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 outings.

Like Montas, he also provides intriguing strikeout numbers, having racked up 852 in 785.1 MLB innings.

Either high-profile starter would provide a major boost to the Yankees staff, but that level of marquee trade is not necessary to keep the team in contention. Even a move for a less costly mid-rotation starter would help provide some insurance.

But, at least for now, New York's front office is shooting for the stars ahead of the deadline.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jose Quintana is reportedly "drawing interest" from the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees ahead of Tuesday's 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Fansided's Robert Murray reported the update Wednesday and noted the Toronto Blue Jays are also a potential suitor for Quintana, who's posted a 3.70 ERA in 19 starts this season.

The 33-year-old left-hander isn't the most exciting name on the trade market, but he'd provide solid back-of-rotation depth for a contender down the stretch.

Quintana has compiled a career 3.83 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 302 appearances in 11 seasons with the White Sox, Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants. He made four outings (three starts) for the Cubs in the 2017 playoffs.

Along with his experience, he'd also arrive with a limited financial impact as he's playing under a one-year, $2 million contract.

He'd provide a safety-net option for the Yankees (66-32), who've enjoyed a lot of rotation success thanks to Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Jordan Montgomery and Jameson Taillon but face some uncertainty with the fifth spot.

Domingo German recently returned for New York after an extended stint on the IL with a shoulder injury and Luis Severino is currently sidelined with a lat strain.

It's a similar story for the White Sox, with whom Quintana previously pitched from 2012 through 2017. They could use a depth starter in case Lance Lynn, who's posted a 6.43 ERA in eight starts since returning from a knee injury in mid-June, can't find his form.

In both cases, as well as Toronto, it's possible Quintana could end up in the bullpen by season's end. The Jays are close to getting Yusei Kikuchi back from the IL to fill the No. 5 spot in their rotation.

Getting an asset or two for Quintana would be smart business by the Pirates, who've faded out of playoff contention with a 40-58 record and will likely use the stretch run to evaluate fringe roster players with an eye toward 2023.

All told, it would be a surprise if the 2016 All-Star isn't moved before the deadline.

It's always a big deal whenever the New York Yankees and New York Mets meet for the Subway Series. And with both clubs in first place in their respective divisions, even more so for the latest iteration that got underway Tuesday.

Now, just imagine how much of a bigger deal the next Subway Series (Aug. 22-23) will be if the Yankees and Mets use Major League Baseball's Aug. 2 trade deadline to try to steer themselves back toward the dominant tracks they had been on earlier in 2022.

The Yankees seemed unstoppable when they got off to a 49-16 start that had them on pace for a 120-win season. Since June 19, however, they've returned to earth with a 17-16 stretch. They still lead the American League East, but their advantage over the Houston Astros for the AL's top record has dwindled to just two games.

The Mets, meanwhile, are 25-20 since peaking at 35-17 on June 1. They're now clinging to first place in the National League East, where Atlanta is just two games off the pace.

Some good news for both clubs is that neither has seen its World Series odds take a dive. On the contrary, FanGraphs gives the Mets a 14.5 percent chance and the Yankees a 13.1 percent chance of winning it all. For the Yankees, such an outcome would mean their first championship since 2009. For the Mets, since 1986.

But since both the Yankees and Mets must first focus on making upgrades on the trade market, here's a look at what each team needs and the ideal fits for those needs.

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3 Trade Needs for the Yankees

1. Relief Pitcher

You'd never know it from looking at the 2.94 ERA that they've gotten out of their relievers, but the Yankees do indeed need help in the bullpen.

Chalk it up to poor seasons by Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga, and even more so to injuries. Left-hander Zack Britton and right-hander Chad Green are both recovering from Tommy John surgery, and now the bridge to All-Star closer Clay Holmes is even more unstable after breakout righty Michael King fractured his elbow last Friday.

"We'll continue to assess the roster, but King is a really important member of our bullpen," general manager Brian Cashman told reporters. "Ultimately, I've got from now until Aug. 2."

Ideal Target: David Robertson, Chicago Cubs

After making all of 19 appearances between 2019 and 2021, the former Yankee has found new life with a 1.83 ERA and 14 saves through 35 appearances this season. Not bad for a 37-year-old, and he's only making $3.5 million on a one-year deal.

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2. Outfielder

The Yankees rank third in the majors with the 7.2 rWAR that they've gotten out of their outfielders. But 5.1 of that belongs to Aaron Judge, who's otherwise chasing Roger Maris' 61 home runs from 1961 with 38 bombs through 95 games.

Meanwhile, fellow slugger Giancarlo Stanton (Achilles tendinitis) is now on the injured list, and Joey Gallo remains in a deep, deep slump. The Yankees thus need an outfielder even more than they did on July 1, when Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the team was scanning the market for reinforcements.

Ideal Target: Juan Soto, Washington Nationals

What, you thought we were going to say Andrew Benintendi? No way. Even setting aside that his vaccination status makes him ineligible for games in Canada, Benintendi's merits simply don't include a .426 OBP or 118 home runs before his 24th birthday.

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3. Starting Pitcher

Gerrit Cole is on the periphery of the AL Cy Young Award race, and New York's rotation has broadly been just fine to the tune of a 3.31 ERA.

Less broadly, Luis Severino is on the shelf with a strained lat, and Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery have a 5.85 ERA dating back to June 19. It's not quite an emergency situation, perhaps, but it's nothing if not a good excuse to upgrade.

Ideal Target: Luis Castillo, Cincinnati Reds

Trade rumors connecting the Yankees to Castillo have been a seemingly daily feature over the last couple of years. So it goes once again this season, wherein the two-time All-Star has been excellent as he's pitched to a 2.77 ERA over 78 innings.

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3 Trade Needs for the Mets

1. Catcher

The Mets signed James McCann during the winter of 2020-21 in hopes that he would be their stalwart behind the plate, but he had a down year in '21 and hasn't been able to stay off the IL in 2022. The Mets have felt the effects, as their minus-0.5 rWAR out of the catching position ranks dead last among NL clubs.

There will hopefully come a day when Francisco Alvarez, MLB.com's No. 1 prospect, will be the Mets' franchise catcher. But given that he's just 20 years old and only a recent arrival to Triple-A Syracuse, that day likely won't come in 2022.

Ideal Target: Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

This is something the Mets have already determined for themselves, as Pat Ragazzo of SI.com reports they're in on both Contreras and Robertson:

Sources: Mets and Cubs have been discussing a potential trade package that would send Willson Contreras and David Robertson to NY for multiple prospects (Not named Alvarez or Baty)

Talks are ongoing, packages still being discussed as of late last weekendhttps://t.co/Ef247mvW4M

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) July 26, 2022

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, there is some concern about Contreras "meshing with a new pitching staff on the fly" following a trade. But in light of how little their catchers have produced, the Mets have a better excuse than most to not worry about that.

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2. Slugger

Is this too vague? Perhaps, but we think it accurately describes the other big need in the Mets lineup. Of its 95 home runs for the season, 25 belong to Pete Alonso.

The Mets did take a step toward solving their power needs when they acquired the left-handed-hitting Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates last Friday. As 55 of his 61 career homers have come against righties, he's a good platoon option at designated hitter.

Ideal Target: J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox

Though the Mets could potentially fill their need for a right-handed component of said platoon with a Trey Mancini or a Nelson Cruz, neither boasts Martinez's .299/.367/.477 slash line. He's also especially dangerous (1.051 OPS) against southpaws, so it's no great surprise that the Mets have him on their radar.

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3. Relief Pitcher

The Mets have a hole in their rotation right now, but they're due to fill that in-house once some guy named Jacob deGrom (shoulder) is ready to go. That should be shortly after the trade deadline.

Though the Mets also stand to get Trevor May (stress reaction in arm) back soon, they should be less willing to let it roll with the relievers they already have. Veteran closer Edwin Diaz has been scintillating all season, yet the bridge to him lacks a true shutdown setup man.

Ideal Target: David Robertson, Chicago Cubs

Once again, the Mets already have this figured out. One catch is that Robertson has mostly worked in the ninth inning this season, but one assumes he would be fine in the eighth. If he could set up for Mariano Rivera, then he can probably do the same for Diaz.

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The Yankees' and Mets' Top Trade Chips

In Gallo and Miguel Andujar, the Yankees have two intriguing change-of-scenery candidates among their wares.

Yet neither player is much more than a throw-in in any potential trade, so now's a good time to get acquainted with the Tier 1 prospects in the Yankees' farm system:

1. SS Anthony Volpe (21 years old): .807 OPS, 13 HR, 35 SB at AA
2. OF Jasson Dominguez (19): .828 OPS, 10 HR, 21 SB at A/A+
3. SS Oswald Peraza (22): .762 OPS, 12 HR, 23 SB at AAA
4. LHP Ken Waldichuk (24): 2.44 ERA, 106 K, 29 BB at AA/AAA
5. C Austin Wells (23): .897 OPS, 9 HR, 9 SB at A/A+/AA

One of those two shortstops—more likely Peraza—could be expendable in a blockbuster, though the single loudest tool here might be Dominguez's power:

JASSON DOMINGUEZ 😱😱😱

Yankees got a good one coming through the @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/ZL18mowxZY

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 17, 2022

The Mets also have an appealing change-of-scenery candidate in Dominic Smith. They're otherwise short on expendable major leaguers, so here's their list of Tier 1 prospects:

1. C Francisco Alvarez (20 years old): .885 OPS, 19 HR, 0 SB at AA/AAA
2. 3B Brett Baty (22): .878 OPS, 13 HR, 1 SB at AA
3. C Kevin Parada (20): No. 11 pick in 2022 draft
4. OF Alex Ramirez (19): .813 OPS, 8 HR, 19 SB at A/A+

One caveat here is that Alvarez may be so valuable as to be untouchable, with another being that the Mets can't yet trade Parada. The "Trea Turner rule," as it's known, requires teams to hold on to their most recent draft picks until after the World Series.

As such, Baty may be the club's top trade chip. He is indeed a good one, though, as he's seen as having plus tools in both the hit and power categories.

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Which Team Has the Better Shot at Juan Soto?

It would be more reasonable to dedicate a section to whether the Yankees or Mets have the better shot at Robertson. Reasonable, sure...but not particularly fun.

Not as fun as the Soto question, anyway. Heyman quickly tabbed the Yankees and Mets as fits for the wunderkind slugger as soon as he hit the market, and now we know what he's going to cost courtesy of Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:

What's the Nationals asking price for Juan Soto? @Ken_Rosenthal reports that it will take 4 to 5 top young players (combo of prospects and major leaguers with low service time) to potentially land the superstar pic.twitter.com/fefj20gO7P

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 23, 2022

Quantity-wise, the Yankees have the edge in desirable prospects and could potentially sweeten the deal for the Nationals by including Gleyber Torres. Because of Alvarez, however, one could make the case that the Mets have an edge quality-wise.

But even if such things make the Yankees and Mets roughly equal fits for Soto on paper, "the field" might be the best bet for his eventual landing spot.

Another report from Heyman on July 21 stated that neither club would give in if the Nationals insisted on getting all three of its top prospects. And because they share the NL East with the Nationals, the Mets would face a whole 'nother kind of hurdle in trying to pry Soto loose.

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Predicting One Trade for the Yankees

The Deal: New York Yankees get LF Andrew Benintendi and RHP Scott Barlow; Kansas City Royals get LHP Ken Waldichuk

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Yankees are indeed interested in Benintendi:

The Yankees have emerged as “serious contenders” for Royals LF Andrew Benintendi, per source.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) July 23, 2022

He's not as exciting as Soto, but Benintendi is a sensible target for the Yankees. They frankly need an OBP-tuned hitter among all their SLG monsters. And while his vaccination status could be an issue come October, for now the Yankees only have three more regular-season games north of the border against the Toronto Blue Jays.

As for Barlow, he's a reliever with a 1.93 ERA and club control through 2024. What's more, he likely hasn't achieved his full potential as a strikeout artist.

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Predicting One Trade for the Mets

The Deal: New York Mets get 1B C.J. Cron and RHP Daniel Bard; Colorado Rockies get 3B/1B Mark Vientos and RHP Mike Vasil

It would be too easy to simply assume that the proposed Contreras/Robertson deal will get done, so we're zigging with a hypothetical trade with the Colorado Rockies instead.

The Mets do like the right-handed-hitting Cron, according to Andy Martino of SNY. And while Bard isn't quite as appealing as Robertson, he does have a similar profile as a 37-year-old veteran with closer-caliber stuff.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds is reportedly generating interest from multiple teams ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins "have not stopped calling" the Pirates regarding a potential Reynolds trade. However, neither team has offered an intriguing enough package for Pittsburgh to part with the 27-year-old.

Pittsburgh is in fourth place in the National League Central at 40-58, making it a natural team to trade with a contender like the Yankees.

Yet Reynolds is under team control through the 2025 season, so there is no immediate pressure for the Pirates to trade him. He could still be an important contributor down the line when the team may be more competitive with a farm system MLB.com ranked as the seventh-best in the league at the start of the year.

The Marlins are not a contender this season either but checked in at No. 6 on those rankings, so they may be thinking along the same lines that Reynolds could be a contributor when the farm system is ready to hit the majors given his contract status.

Reynolds is slashing .257/.339/.459 with 15 home runs and 32 RBI in 84 games this season.

They are solid numbers but also represent a dropoff from last year when he was an All-Star and slashed .302/.390/.522 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI and a league-best eight triples. It was the second time in three years he finished with a batting average over .300 and proved he can be a power hitter who launches 20-plus homers in the middle of a lineup.

He would have plenty of protection to do just that in the Yankees' order considering Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and more are threats to go deep every time they step to the plate.

Reynolds would likely receive far better pitches to hit than he does in a weak Pittsburgh lineup, which could help the Bronx Bombers parlay their excellent regular season into their first World Series crown since 2009.

New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has been placed on the 10-day injured list with left Achilles tendonitis, per the team.

Outfielder Tim Locastro has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his roster spot.

The 32-year-old Stanton already dealt with injuries this season, going on the 10-day injured list in May with a right calf strain. It was part of an injury-filled month for the Bronx Bombers.

While Stanton was also largely healthy in 2021, playing 139 games, he did miss 13 games last May with a quad strain. He was one of the few Yankees who managed to stay healthy in a historically beat-up season for the club.

However, he only played 23 games in 2020 and just 18 the previous year. He's only played 140 games or more once in his five seasons with the Yankees.

When healthy Stanton has played well, hitting .273 with 35 homers and 97 RBI last season. This year, he's hitting just .228 but has 24 homers, 61 RBI and a .807 OPS.

Keeping him on the field has been a major issue, though, compounded by the fact that the team is paying him $29 million this year as part of a 13-year, $325 million contract that goes through the 2027 season (there is a club option in 2028 for $25 million).

Stanton and the Yankees will be hoping this latest issue isn't a recurring one as they gear up for a postseason run.