Yankees Daily Trade Deadline Profile: Justin Wilson

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.

Saturday afternoon we saw the Dellin Betances (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K) and Aroldis Chapman (W, 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K) we’ve gotten used to seeing over the past few years. The bullpen could still use some reinforcements after the All-Star Break. Why not bring back a familiar face?

PHOENIX, AZ – MAY 09: Relief pitcher Justin Wilson /

RP Justin Wilson, Detroit Tigers, Buy

The Yankees traded Justin Wilson to the Detroit Tigers in the winter following the 2015 season for pitchers Chad Green and Luis Cessa.

Green and Cessa have both played key roles for the 2017 Yankees. Chad Green has been one of Joe Girardi’s most reliable relievers while Luis Cessa filled in admirably for CC Sabathia when he was on the disabled list.

As good as those guys have been, I think Justin Wilson would be welcomed back to the Yankee bullpen.

Michael Kay said on today’s broadcast that the Yankees are in need of a lefty that can neutralize left-handed hitters.

Chasen Shreve has been great, but he’s not necessarily a lefty specialist.

Tommy Layne was supposed to fill that role, but he was ineffective and is now in Triple-A after being designated for assignment in early June.

The only other lefty in the Yankee bullpen is Tyler Webb. Webb is a rookie and most likely can’t be trusted in a playoff game.

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Wilson, like Shreve, is effective against both righties and lefties. However, Wilson has experience in high leverage situations.

Wilson has converted nine of his ten save opportunities since taking over as the closer in Detroit.

Detroit is 38-48, however, which is tied for the worst record in the American League.

A trade deadline selloff seems to be in the cards for the Tigers with Wilson being a potential trade candidate.

It will cost the Yankees more to reacquire Wilson at the trade deadline than what it cost Detroit back in 2015.

Wilson has since proved he can handle the closer role and still has one year of arbitration eligibility left.

I know I have repeatedly built trade packages around Jorge Mateo, but that’s because he is really the only top prospect that I would be comfortable with the Yankees trading.

This was never supposed to be the Yankees’ year. Their “rebuild” is a few years ahead of schedule.

Their recent struggles, however, have shown that their true contending days aren’t quite here yet.

Therefore, keeping their top prospects is their best option.

Mateo, however, doesn’t have a clear path to the Bronx and could be used to upgrade the bullpen.

Next: Yankees Daily Trade Deadline Profile: Johnny Cueto

Wilson could help the Yankees get as much out of 2017 as they can. He’d then also be around to replace Tyler Clippard as New York’s seventh inning man in 2018 when they could potentially be more legitimate contenders.

Come back tomorrow as we profile someone who may get bumped out of New York as a result of their recent youth movement.

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