The New York Yankees have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball in 2021.
They are 44-42 and currently on the outside looking when it comes to a playoff spot.
Some fans have suggested they should be sellers at the deadline.
Maybe the Yankees should be sellers at the deadline… https://t.co/9dctOJr9go
— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) July 3, 2021
However, they should not sell at the deadline: it doesn’t make much sense.
Here is why they should hold on to their assets and perhaps look to add more.
3. They Are Still A Very Talented Team
Yes, the Yankees are mediocre right now, but let’s not forget, they are a very talented team.
The Bombers have their flaws, particularly a lack of pitching depth and the absence of a reliable center fielder after Aaron Hicks’ injury, but some of the struggling stars should improve soon.
Gleyber Torres has too much of a track record to slug just three homers in a season, and DJ LeMahieu is too good a hitter to finish with a .714 OPS.
As long as Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are healthy, and some slumping batters find their groove, the offense should start to click.
As far as the pitching goes, Luis Severino should return soon to help Gerrit Cole carry the load.
There are questions surrounding Cole’s effectiveness after the crackdown of foreign substances on the ball, but he is also too talented not to turn things around.
In the end, the Yankees may or may not quality to the playoffs, but will end up being a lot better than a .500 team.
2. They Aren’t That Far Off A Playoff Spot
The Yankees are nine games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox, which is not impossible to overcome, but is a lot for less than three months of play.
However, they are not that far from a playoff spot considering the Wild Card spots.
The Tampa Bay Rays have the first spot of the Wild Card, and the Oakland A’s currently hold the second one at 50-39.
The Yankees are 4.5 games behind the A’s, which is much more manageable.
@NickTurturro1
It's not a lost season for Yankees yet.
4.5 out of Wildcard.
They're sure missing something tho. Interesting trade deadline.— Mark W. Biefeld (@MarkBiefeld) July 9, 2021
The problem is that the Yankees have other teams to worry about.
The Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners are between the A’s and the Yankees, and the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Angels are just half a game behind the Yankees.
The second Wild Card spot will be a hot commodity all season long.
If the Yankees are consistent and add a player or two at the deadline, a Wild Card spot is realistic.
1. They Do Not Have Many Assets To Sell
Realistically speaking, if the Yankees decided to sell, who could they trade?
The Yankees won’t trade Judge because it’s their best player.
They also won’t trade Stanton or Cole because they are A) stars, and B) on huge, almost untradeable contracts.
They could trade Torres, but shouldn’t do it at his lowest value, and ultimately won’t.
Other young, controllable players like Luke Voit, Gio Urshela, Chad Green, Jordan Montgomery, Jonathan Loaisiga, Domingo German, or Lucas Luetge aren’t leaving the organization because they are part of the future, as well as the present.
Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, and Deivi Garcia, like Torres, are at an all-time low when it comes to value, and wouldn’t fetch much in return.
LeMahieu was just signed to an extension and teams could be scared off his slow start, while Gary Sanchez remains the catcher of the future despite being hated by a portion of the fans.
Perhaps a veteran reliever like Zack Britton or Darren O’Day could fetch something, but they are both hurt right now.
There is just not much to sell from the Yankees’ perspective.
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