The 21st century Yankees are typically buyers at the deadline. With that likely to continue in 2023, their roster could look much different come August 1st.
The New York Yankees have never been one to shy away from making trades or spending money in order to improve their team. They aren't interested in a rebuild or a retool of their roster. The Bronx Bombers prefer to improve their team in any way possible in order to win that season.
That will likely continue at the 2023 trade deadline, as the Yankees have a ton of holes to fill this year. Obviously, they await the return of their superstar, Aaron Judge, but they're going to need to improve their roster more than that in order to make a push in October.
Yankees rumors: Luis Severino isn't pitching well enough to stay in this rotation
A crucial piece of being a playoff level team in the MLB, especially in the loaded American League East division, is a starting rotation. The Yankees rotation is tremendous at the top end, when healthy. They feature one of the best pitchers of this generation in Gerrit Cole. After Cole, it gets a bit dicey in New York.
When healthy, Nestor Cortes provides a good piece in the rotation, despite a bit of regression compared to his impressive 2022 season (2.44 ERA in 2022, 5.16 ERA in 2023). Domingo German has shown his ability to pitch, especially recently when he threw a perfect game, the first one in the MLB since 2012. German even has a lower WHIP than their ace, Gerrit Cole.
But Luis Severino sticks out on this pitching staff like a sore thumb. Severino has been terrible this year, with Yankees fans seeing him continue to grow worse through the season.
Over his last two starts, the Yankees starter has allowed 19 hits and 14 runs in under seven innings of work. Both games ended up as uncompetitive losses for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees need to part ways with the right-hander, as he is doing nothing but hurting the Yankees in 2023.
Yankees rumors: Josh Donaldson is bound to be off the roster by August 1st
Yankees fans from all over the world have been calling for Josh Donaldson to be removed from the roster for the better part of two seasons now. Donaldson has posted a .456 slugging percentage this season, which ironically is the exact same slugging percentage he posted in 2014 when he was selected to the All-Star Game as an Athletic. Nine of Donaldson's 13 hits in 2023 have left the park for home runs. So what's the issue with the former MVP?
Well, the problem is everything except the long ball. Donaldson has been atrocious for the Yankees, hitting less than .150 despite the nine home runs. He's posting a career low in OPS, OBP and AVG as his slash line is a terrible .144/.218/.456 as of today. His production just hasn't been there. The Yankees need a better bat in their lineup if they want to make the playoffs and push toward a World Series.
Donaldson is only signed through this season, with 2024 being a club option that the Yankees will absolutely decline. The Yankees have a 23-year-old infielder, Oswald Peraza sitting in Triple-A waiting to replace Donaldson. Peraza wasn't great in his MLB stints so far, but he has much more potential and talent than the 37-year-old Donaldson.
Yankees rumors: Franchy Cordero will be back in Triple-A by the deadline
Franchy Cordero has been in the MLB for seven different seasons, and he has yet to be able to put the pieces together. This isn't going to change, and Cordero is just in New York to fill a roster spot while the Yankees are down multiple starters to injury. As of today, the Yankees have 11 players on their 40-man roster that reside on the IL, including their top three left fielders in their depth chart.
Cordero will likely just play a depth role for the Yankees until they're able to return pieces from the IL or acquire pieces at the trade deadline. They will likely be active before the deadline, looking to bolster their offense to keep them afloat until Aaron Judge returns. New York will likely have some serious urgency in making these moves, as they are eight games back in the AL East.
Franchy Cordero is a no-brainer to end up off the New York Yankees roster by the trade deadline. It isn't certain which move will replace him, but he simply has no place in the lineup for the Yankees. His slash line of .148/.179/.389 is substantially worse than what is expected to be on the Yankees roster. No exception will be made for the 28-year-old outfielder.