New York Yankees need to acquire Madison Bumgarner before the deadline

As the trade deadline quickly approaches the New York Yankees will need to make an active play to acquire Madison Bumgarner for the starting rotation.

The New York Yankees are riding high to start the second half of the regular season with multiple All-Stars represented in Cleveland and others expected to return soon from injury. Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is only a few short weeks away, and teams are already rumored to be after several top pitching names being dangled by their respective ball clubs.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner has emerged in quite a few team’s wish lists over the past few weeks. He is a multiple-time World Series champion that has plenty to offer teams as a starter in postseason play this fall. The left-handed hurler can provide immediate relief to the Yankee’s rotation because of his experience and ability to go late in clutch games to rest the bullpen.

Bumgarner has struggled this season for the Giants with a below .500 record and an ERA over 4.00, but teams will rely more on his veteran presence. The 29-year old has a career postseason record of 8-3 with a 2.11 ERA securing three World Series titles and two series MVP awards (NLCS, World Series) back in 2014. He hasn’t appeared in the playoffs since 2016 and would be a welcome addition to a Yankees rotation that could use a glue guy more than ace.

The other names mentioned include Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays and Zack Wheeler from the New York Mets. Stroman was an All-Star this year with exciting stuff but had a reputation for being a hothead that could make him more of a liability in a rather mellow clubhouse. Wheeler is unproven in postseason play and has a well-documented history of injury problems that can make him very risky.

Yankees ace Luis Severino and reliever Dellin Betances should be debuting soon for the second half but shouldn’t be expected to produce sharply coming off an injury. General manager Brian Cashman has been patiently waiting for Severino to finally play this season as he has held back for months on pulling the trigger on a front line starter eventually letting Dallas Keuchel sign elsewhere.

The Yankees shouldn’t expect a Justin Verlander type of impact from Bumgarner and only should expect quality starts from a former left-handed champion. CC Sabathia is a dependable pitcher, but it’s risky to ask a player with injury concerns to go deep into games in his farewell season.