RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 3 sourcesCHICAGO - Did these last two days on the South Side alter anything in the Yankees’ trade deadline strategy?
In dropping a pair of extra-inning games to the White Sox , ending with Thursday afternoon’s 2-1, 11-inning loss, it was all about the Yanks’ inability to gain any offensive traction.
That’s been a team theme since mid-June, and there are four shopping days left to improve this lineup – now missing the injured Cody Bellinger (hamstring), in addition to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton – before Monday’s 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline.
The Yankee front office’s response will shadow over everything this weekend at Wrigley Field, as the Yanks continue their Windy City week with three games vs. the Cubs.
And these last two games couldn’t have gone worse against the White Sox, with the Yanks’ failure to fully support their starters, and a relief corps on fumes.
Even with the gift of a ghost runner at second base, the Yanks scored just twice in five extra innings over two days.
In those two losses, the Yankees were 4-for-31 (.129) with runners in scoring position.
Yanks' trade deadline decisions
Due to their need for a right-handed hitting catcher, Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers has been a popular pinstriped target.
But the Twins are firmly in the playoff hunt in this mediocre American League, which either keeps the impending free agent Jeffers off limits or allows the Twins to be bolder in their asking price.
That could send the Yanks to less appealing catching options in Tyler Stephenson and Jonah Heim, while also seeking other offensive upgrades.
But some of those options come with defensive questions.
Lefty-hitting Luis Arraez’s .300-plus batting average would greatly boost the Yanks’ lineup, but is he moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. off second base and back to third, an experiment the Yanks tried in 2024 with subpar results?
And how does the organization's view on shortstop George Lombard Jr. influence their decisions over this critical weekend?
Once more, if the Padres are open to trading world class closer Mason Miller, the Yankees could be all-in here as a priority.
Beyond that, the Yanks would be players for Miller's lefty teammate Adrian Morejon, or the Mets' Luke Weaver and Clay Holmes, whom they recently scouted during a minor league rehab start (coming back from a leg fracture).
But do their offensive needs now require more than just depth pieces like Tyrone Taylor or Lane Thomas?
Yankees-Cubs pitching matchups
Friday, 2:20 p.m. (EDT)
Yankees’ RHP Will Warren (7-5, 4.41 ERA) vs. Cubs’ LHP Shota Imanaga (7-8, 3.72 ERA)
Saturday, 7:15 p.m. (EDT)
Yankees’ LHP Max Fried (4-3, 3.23 ERA) vs. Cubs’ LHP David Peterson (6-7, 5.80 ERA).
Sunday, 2:20 p.m. (EDT)
Yankees’ RHP Gerrit Cole (4-5, 3.57 ERA) vs. Cubs’ RHP Colin Rea (8-7, 4.67 ERA).
Summary: The Yanks have seen a heavy dose of lefty starters on this road trip, and that continues at Wrigley Field.
Imanaga faced the Yanks last year (July 13) in the Bronx and came away with a 4-1 victory, yielding one run over seven innings – on a Giancarlo Stanton home run.
Peterson is 3-1 with a 5.06 ERA in five starts since arriving via trade from the Mets last month.
Rea has lost two of his last three starts, but he’s coming off a six-inning, one-run victory at St. Louis.
Warren had a rough start last Sunday at Philadelphia, yielding six runs over three innings, and he’s posted a 6.45 ERA in nine games since June 8.
Fried’s second start back from elbow bone bruise rehab didn’t go nearly as well as his first, lasting three innings and yielding three runs. His pitch count should be in the 75-80 range this time out.
Cole is coming off a gutsy six scoreless innings in last Tuesday’s win at the White Sox, and he’s regained a lot of feel and rhythm in 12 starts since Tommy John surgery rehab.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees trade deadline needs in focus as weekend series vs Cubs begins
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.