Yankees Veteran Making Pitching Trade Difficult

The New York Yankees are looking into options on the mound as they exploring trade options in their bullpen. General manager Brian Cashman made it known that the team would be opened to adding to their rotation, but veteran Ryan Yarbrough isn't letting that happen so easily.

"Always pitching, pitching, pitching, whether that’s adding to the rotation or adding to the bullpen,” Cashman said when asked about possible additions before the trade deadline.

Yarbrough stepped into a larger role when the Yankees lost Gerrit Cole in the spring to an elbow injury. So far, he's 2-0 and holding a 2.25 ERA and 19-5 K-BB ratio through four starts. Against the Los Angeles Angels, he gave up an early home run, but then finished his day retiring 18 of the next 20 batters he faced.

"He’s unflappable," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "His presence out there and his moxie, he’s unaffected by real good or real bad. … To able to get us six strong like that, great tone-setter for the series."

Now, the Yankees are looking at a difficult situation. Adding to their bullpen is the appealing route, but Yarbrough is making an impact on this club. At 33-years-old, Yarbrough is becoming a key member of the starting rotation and earning his place to remain there throughout the season.

"It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been a lot of fun," Yarbrough said. "I think it’s just been having a really good approach, talking with the pitching staff and [Austin] Wells about great game planning of really mixing speeds, keeping them guessing up there and getting ahead and putting them in situations where they’re having to swing the bat and no free passes."

The Yankees signed Yarbrough three days before the season began. He's since established himself as a winner in New York and a part of the bullpen the team can rely on. Making their decision to pull off a trade difficult, and could hault it overall before the deadline.

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