The New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates are on opposite ends of baseball's totem pole, which makes them a perfect match as trade partners ahead of Thursday's deadline.
The Yankees have the fourth-best record in the AL, while the Pirates are third-worst in the NL. Furthermore, Pittsburgh hasn't made the playoffs since 2015, while New York won the AL pennant last season. The former is rebuilding, while the latter is in win-now mode.
That's why the Pirates make sense as a "seller" at the Trade Deadline, while the Yankees are "buyers." New York recently acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies and infielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals, while Pittsburgh sent utilityman Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals for prospect Cam Devanney.
A Yankees-Pirates trade could be next, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
"ESPN reports the Yankees are showing interest in the Pirates’ available arms, including Andrew Heaney, Caleb Ferguson and Dennis Santana," he said.
Heaney (5-9, 4.79 ERA) is in his first season with the Pirates after two years with the Texas Rangers. The southpaw made 12 appearances for the Yankees in 2021.
ESPN reports the Yankees are showing interest in the Pirates’ available arms, including Andrew Heaney, Caleb Ferguson and Dennis Santana. pic.twitter.com/OrzbXDI08M
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 28, 2025
Ferguson (2-2, 3.74 ERA), a fellow southpaw, also pitched for New York last season before it traded him to the Houston Astros at the deadline. Meanwhile, Santana (3-2, 1.42 ERA) played for the Yankees last season as well before they designated him for assignment in June 2024. The Pirates claimed him off waivers two days later.
New York will face the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night before Pittsburgh plays the San Francisco Giants.
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