“He isn’t hurting the offense as much as second base and third base are, but he’s basically a replacement level player for which there are quite a few intriguing replacement options,” Miller wrote of Verdugo.
After starting the season 49-21, the Yankees had the best record in baseball on June 12. However, in their last 23 games (6-17), they have the worst record in baseball. Despite ranking first in runs this season, the Yankees are ranked No. 19 in July.
Miller noted that Oakland’s top slugger, Rooker, has primarily served as a DH this season but has also played a fair amount of corner outfield in his career. Even if his glove in left field is slightly inferior to Verdugo’s, his .891 OPS would be a valuable addition to the Yankees.
Rooker has made 117 starts in the corner outfield. With Stanton as the primary DH, Rooker would likely play left field if acquired. His hitting prowess would significantly benefit the team.
Brent Rooker's blast off the wall gets the A's going early 💥 pic.twitter.com/fDVQOl0wlM
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) July 9, 2024
As a long-term addition, Rooker is arbitration-eligible for three more years. The Yankees “would need to part with some serious prospect capital to get him,” wrote Miller.
Rooker was an All-Star in 2023, hitting 30 home runs with a .817 OPS and 69 RBIs. Last season, he had a .246 batting average and a 127 OPS+ in 137 games. This season, his average has risen to .282, with 55 RBIs.
Rooker’s .903 OPS would rank third on the Yankees, behind Judge and Soto. Currently, Giancarlo Stanton has the third-highest OPS on the team at .795 but is on the injured list.
“At any rate, it’d be fun to add him to the mix right as Giancarlo Stanton is coming back from the IL.”
Rooker is expected to be a popular trade target. The Philadelphia Phillies are also reportedly interested, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.
Brian Cashman met with @M_Marakovits and the rest of the media earlier today, to discuss the state of the Yankees. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/ZCREbKbzSj
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 9, 2024
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman stated that the team is “open-minded to a lot of different things” ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. “We definitely have areas to improve upon and we’ll do our best to do so,” Cashman said on July 9.
In 2022, the Yankees started 61-23 but played below .500 the rest of the way, eventually being swept by the Houston Astros in the playoffs. This season could follow a similar path if the Yankees don’t improve.
“Thankfully, we got out of the gates really strong, so hopefully that cushion will allow us to work through this, hopefully sooner than later, because it’s gone on long enough,” Cashman said.
Last season, the Yankees attempted to improve by acquiring Andrew Benintendi, Frankie Montas, and Harrison Bader. Those additions didn’t work out, but the Yankees have another chance to strengthen the team this season.
“We just got to figure our way through this ourselves, and then hopefully we can add some outside pieces that will benefit us at some point,” Cashman said.