The Yankees could trade Rising Star at the deadline to replace the Struggling Slugger

The New York Yankees likely won’t be killing two birds with one stone in this potential trade, but it would still improve their roster significantly.

A lot of talk has surrounded Oakland Athletics closer Mason Miller, who is hitting 103 mph with the radar gun. That said, it’s unlikely he’ll make it to the trade deadline this year because he’s still in pre-arbitration.

While Miller would be a major boost to the Yankees’ bullpen, the more realistic target is A’s teammate DH/outfielder Brent Rooker, who would greatly help New York’s struggling offense.

Left fielder Alex Verdugo got off to a hot start in his first season with the Yankees, but has since cooled off. He has just two home runs in his last 38 games, and his overall season numbers have dropped to a .239/.294/.385 slash line with a .679 OPS. While he is sixth in the MLB with two outs above average, Verdugo might be better suited as a fourth outfielder right now.

This is where Rooker comes in. He has primarily served as Oakland’s DH, but can also play both corner outfield positions. Despite being a defensive downgrade in left field, the right-handed swinger’s offensive production would overshadow that aspect of his game. The 29-year-old is coming off a 30-base season and already has 18 long balls and 56 RBI to go along with an elite .281 average and .897 OPS in 81 games this year.

Rooker could also provide insurance at DH with Giancarlo Stanton still on the mend from a left hamstring strain. The Yankees sorely missed Stanton’s bat in the cleanup spot, as he crushed 18 homers and posted a .794 OPS before getting injured in late June. The 34-year-old should be back from IL shortly after the All-Star break, but he injured the same left hamstring last year and his bat never got going in 2023 after missing 43 of matches.

The best case scenario would be for the Yankees to add Rooker to play lefty, with Stanton coming back healthy and productive the rest of the way. If they are able to land Rooker, he could solve either a pitching problem or a DH problem should Stanton not be able to return to the plate.

Rooker is under cheap control for three more years, so the A’s asking price will likely be high. The Yankees have outfielder Spencer Jones as a potential trade chip as it’s an all-in year for the club. Rooker could also provide New York with a safety net in the outfield for the next three years if they lose superstar right fielder Juan Soto in free agency this winter.