MLB Rumors: Will the New York Yankees trade for an Aaron Judge replacement?
Who could replace Aaron Judge, now that we know his injury was far worse than initially reported? Something stinks in the Bronx, and Judge revealed on Saturday that his toe injury is far from a thing of the past.
FanSided's Alicia de Artola revealed the issue with Judge, and what one side appears to have been hiding:
"Throughout Judge's absence, the team has played coy about the extent of the injury or how long he might be missing. They indicated he had a sprain but the swelling was coming down and talked in "days."
Well it turns out the injury was a whole lot worse than anyone has let on up until now.
On Saturday, Judge himself revealed that he tore a ligament in his right toe. He still has pain while walking three weeks later."
So, while the Yanks and Judge played coy about his absence, fans expected the worst. Heck, this is something New York supporters have grown used to since 2009. Every time things seem good, expect the worst. Yes, it appears dramatic, but there's a reason one of the richest organizations in the sport hasn't won a World Series in a decade and a half.
So, what should the Yankees do to replace Judge? The correct answer is not nothing at all, though Brian Cashman may agree with its sentiment.
The St. Louis Cardinals have plenty of outfielders available, and it would make some sense for the Cards to deal, say, a Tyler O'Neill or Dylan Carlson to the Bronx for whatever they can.
These two teams have history, as well — St. Louis traded Harrison Bader to New York for Jordan Montgomery just last year. What's to stop a trade this time around?
MLB Rumors: Are Tim Anderson's days limited with White Sox?
Chicago White Sox fans took to booing shortstop Tim Anderson relatively quickly. While Anderson's struggled this season, to be fair, the Chicago shortstop is one of the more valuable players in baseball when he's on. Anderson plays a top-tier position defensively (and does it well, usually), but he's been off this season. That much is clear.
With many White Sox veterans asking for a way out at the trade deadline, it's clear that something is off in the South Side of Chicago. It's not the water, surely, but Anderson could be dealt come late-July. There are plenty of shortstop-needy teams willing to acquire a player of Anderson's caliber based on potential alone. Yes, the numbers haven't been there — Anderson is slashing just .245/.284/.288 (yuck) — but he's a former All-Star who just turned 30. He surely has a few years left.
The Dodgers have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Anderson considering their current gap at shortstop. Anderson's position is so in demand that despite his faults, should the White Sox wish to deal him, he'll find a new home.
Anderson has two club options remaining on his deal. Should the Sox or any team choose to opt into those, he wouldn't become a free agent until 2025.
MLB Rumors: NY Mets willing to take on even more money
Money is reportedly not an issue for the New York Mets, which wouldn't be a huge surprise if they weren't already over the luxury tax. The Mets just dealt Eduardo Escobar to the Angels, but paid his entire salary as well.
Per SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets don't mind taking on more money for what they deem a desirable pitcher. Now, who New York general manager Billy Eppler deems desirable is a question in its own right, and perhaps not one Mets fans want the answer to. After all, trusting Eppler to run the show has not worked out well in the past.
Martino identified a few options for New York, linking the Mets to Washington Nationals starter Patrick Corbin. Here's what Martino wrote on Wednesday:
"In conversations with league sources, Corbin's name was the most frequently linked to the Mets. Washington owes Corbin $24.4 million this season and a stunning $35.4 million in 2024. The Mets could offer to pay all of that in exchange for a reliever like Hunter Harvey, C.J. Edwards or Kyle Finnegan.
Corbin wouldn't be an instant DFA, either. Perhaps Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, widely regarded as one of the best and brightest in the sport, could salvage some level of performance from the former All-Star."
The idea would be taking on Corbin's contract to acquire the likes of, say, Trevor Williams or another asset the Mets can use in the years to come. New York may not be a playoff team this season, but they have the highest payroll in the sport for a reason. Cohen's squad should always remain relevant, even if that's in 2024.