Three trade candidates the Yankees should be monitoring

We’re midway into June, which means one thing for MLB fans: The trade deadline is approaching. In fact, it’s at 6:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 3.

For fans of the New York Yankees, this means waiting in anticipation to see if management improves the team after what could be easily described as a lackluster offseason. 

If improving the team is what management has in mind, it would likely involve improving the bullpen and shoring up the offense. Unfortunately, finding adequate bullpen help may be easier said than done, as most of the obvious trade candidates are underperforming or injured. Luckily, the returns of Max Fried and Clarke Schmidt from injury may alleviate some of this stress.

As for the offense, the Yankees could use some help at catcher and on the infield. Here are three candidates the Yankees should monitor.

C Ryan Jeffers 

Monitoring Jeffers while he is on the IL recovering from a left hamate bone fracture is fairly easy since his stats aren’t changing, but there is a question of how he will perform after his wrist surgery. Regardless, Jeffers may be the best catcher on the market and a perfect solution to the Yankees’ backstop problems.

Jeffers is in the last year of his contract with the Minnesota Twins, hitting .295/.408/.541 with seven home runs in 122 at-bats. Compare that to the .166/.260/.251 with four home runs Yankees backstops are posting. With Jeffers nearing return and the Twins fading in the standings, Jeffers will almost certainly be on the move. 

SS/3B Bo Bichette 

Most of the Yankees’ offensive problems stem from not being able to record hits. On the year, the Yankees have 562 hits, good for 22^nd in the majors. This accounts for a substantial portion of their troubles with runners in scoring position or during their signature failed comeback attempts.

Bichette may be mired in a slump, but he could easily solve this problem. It was only last year when he hit .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs, not including a three-run blast off of Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of last year’s World Series.

This year, after inking a three-year contract (with options) with the New York Mets, he is hitting .239/.285/.361 with eight home runs, but he has been heating up lately. And with the Mets’ circumstances going from bad to worse in a year’s time, the team is shaping up to be a seller. For the Yankees, Bichette could slot in at third base, another position that has seen underwhelming production.

C Hunter Goodman 

Continuing with catchers, the Colorado Rockies backstop would certainly be a haul worthy of attention. Goodman broke out last season, hitting .278/.323/.520 with 31 home runs. This year, he is showing no signs of slowing down, slashing .250/.321/.536 with 20 home runs in just 252 at-bats.

Goodman’s power is certainly a spectacle, but how much of his production is thanks to Coors Field? Apparently, not much. At home, Goodman is hitting a paltry .211/.300/.447 with seven home runs. On the road, he is hitting .283/.340/.609 with 13 home runs. Still, the overarching question is whether or not the Rockies would part with him.

Historically speaking, the Rockies typically hold onto to their stars despite remaining non-competitive. However, with their new president of baseball operations signaling he would be "opportunistic" and with Goodman being their only trade chip of value, the Rockies could consider moving him. He wouldn't come cheap, however.