The New York Yankees were one of the teams closely connected to a trade for Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo ahead of the trade deadline.
But the Royals recently inked Lugo to a contract extension, so it’s rather unlikely he’s moved at any point in the near future. Now, the Yankees will be forced to look elsewhere to fill the massive hole in their starting rotation.
FanSided’s Joseph Kallan suggested the Yankees could pivot from Lugo to a deal with the Miami Marlins for pitcher Sandy Alcántara in the days leading up to the trade deadline.
“The 2022 NL Cy Young winner is a long shot, but a worthy gamble. Sandy Alcántara has had a rough go in his return from Tommy John surgery, with a bloated 6.66 ERA and a negative WAR,” Kallan wrote. “Still, there are glimmers of a return to form. His most recent outing featured seven shutout innings, and over his last two starts, opposing hitters are swinging at 73% of his two-strike pitches — second highest in MLB during that span.
“At 29 years old, Alcántara still has long-term value. If his velocity and command continue to trend upward, New York could be the perfect landing spot for a bounce-back stretch. He’s a risk — but one worth considering.”
A trade for Alcántara would be bold and expensive for the Bronx Bombers, but it’s seemingly the kind of deal they need to pull off.
The Yankees would be betting on the star to return to his pre-surgery form when he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. Since he’s under team control for a few years, the Yankees would have a bit of time to help him get there.
This idea has the potential to give the Yankees one of the better pitching staffs in baseball over the next few years if they can get everybody healthy. If the Yankees are serious about building for this year and beyond, a deal for the 2022 National League Cy Young winner makes a lot of sense.
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