MLB’s non-waiver trade deadline is July 31st. As the New York Yankees appear to be in playoff contention, every day this month we will take a look at a player who could be involved in the Yankees’ deadline activity. These players will either be current Yankees who could be traded away or players from other organizations who New York could look to acquire for the playoff push.
Sticking with the theme of never having enough pitching, let’s take a look at a starting pitcher who the Yankees could look to acquire at the trade deadline.
SP Jeremy Hellickson, Philadelphia Phillies, Buy
Yesterday, we broke down the question marks in the Yankees starting rotation and the potential need for answers.
Jeremy Hellickson could be an addition to New York’s rotation if Luis Severino or Jordan Montgomery reach an innings limit, or if CC Sabathia hits the disabled list again.
Hellickson has not been at his best this season. The right-hander is 5-5 with a 4.49 ERA and only 53 strikeouts in 102.1 innings.
Perhaps Hellickson just needs a change of scenery. As recently as last season, Hellickson was 12-10 with a 3.71 ERA.
The Phillies surprisingly held onto Hellickson at the 2016 trade deadline, instead opting to give him a qualifying offer.
Hellickson accepted that qualifying offer, earning himself $17.2 million for the 2017 season.
Playing on that qualifying offer means that Hellickson is once again set to hit free agency at year’s end.
It would be even more surprising if Philadelphia held onto Hellickson past the trade deadline again this season, making him a potential candidate for the Yankees to acquire.
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Being that Hellickson is 30 years old, a free agent at the end of the year, and not having his best season, he won’t cost the Yankees the top prospects that Brian Cashman has said he is reluctant to trade.
The Phillies are still rebuilding, so they may take any minor league talent they can get.
Philadelphia has done a nice job building their farm system in recent years and moved into the top ten of Bleacher Report’s farm system rankings following the 2017 MLB Draft.
A prospect like Jorge Mateo could get the ball rolling. Mateo ranks 37th on MLB.com‘s top prospect list.
Although he has been on a tear since being called up to Double-A, Mateo still sits behind Didi Gregorius, Starlin Castro, and Gleyber Torres in the Yankees’ future middle infield plans.
The Phillies should be happy to get a prospect like Mateo in return for Hellickson, especially with their top prospect, J.P. Crawford, struggling to find his way to the major leagues.
Perhaps a Jake Cave or Ian Clarkin could net the Yanks Jeremy Hellickson.
Next: Yankees Daily Trade Deadline Profile: Yefry Ramirez
Either way, the New York Yankees have more than enough prospect ammunition to get a rental arm like Hellickson.
Tomorrow we will profile another rental arm that may get Yankee fans a little more excited than Jeremy Hellickson.