By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNothing is guaranteed, but it feels like a major trade is in order for the New York Yankees this winter.
New York's farm system hasn't always been praised over the last few seasons, but it's in a surprisingly strong position to trade from, given the deep well of right-handed pitching talent. Meanwhile, the Yankees are trying to bolster a roster that won 94 games last year (good, not great), and it seems they'd rather not break the bank in free agency.
Landing an All-Star starting pitcher and a viable right-handed hitting catcher in the same deal would seem almost too good to be true, as both would address needs for a banged-up New York roster. And one baseball writer believes they can accomplish both in the same deal.
...On Wednesday, ESPN's Jorge Castillo urged the rebuilding Minnesota Twins to ship standout righty Joe Ryan and starting catcher Ryan Jeffers to the Yankees, which could get both teams a lot closer to their desired outcomes for the coming season.
"The Yankees don't need another front-line starter, but Ryan would give them some rotation stability early in the season with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón (and Clarke Schmidt) on the injured list, and he would supply insurance should Cole or Rodón return later than usual or struggle upon return," Castillo wrote.
"Jeffers would quench the Yankees' need for a right-handed-hitting catcher after carrying three left-handed-hitting catchers for most of the 2025 season. He would platoon with Austin Wells and allow the Yankees to move Ben Rice, also a left-handed hitter, to first base full-time."
Ryan was absolutely spectacular for most of this season, pitching to a 2.72 ERA through 24 starts before struggling to a 6.47 mark in his final seven. He's under control for two more years, and with the cost of starting pitching at an all-time high, it could take a king's ransom for the Yankees to pry him loose.
There also aren't too many catchers who can put up above-average offensive stats these days, so adding Jeffers into the deal means the Yankees should be prepared to part ways with at least one of their big guns in the pitching pipeline, namely Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez.
More MLB: Blue Jays Predicted to Land Padres All-Star, Address World Series Downfall
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