The Yankees are looking at one of the top position players that might be available at the trade deadline, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that New York is one of the teams interested Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. Roughly six to eight teams have reportedly contacted the Rockies about Story, with the White Sox being one of the names linked to the All-Star.
There have already been a few unique turns to Story’s status as a trade candidate, such as Chicago’s openness to moving Story from shortstop to second base, or an unnamed team looking into Story as a center fielder. While the Yankees have a center field need of their own, it is probably safe to presume their interest in Story is pretty straight-forward — Story would take over shortstop from Gleyber Torres, with Torres moving to second base, DJ LeMahieu playing first base regularly, and Gio Urshela playing third base when he returns from the COVID-IL. Luke Voit would presumably factor into the first base mix when healthy, though it isn’t known when he might return from his current knee problems.
Story is only under contract through the remainder of the 2021 season, but it would be safe to imagine that his acquisition might mark the long-term end of Torres as a shortstop. Torres has delivered consistently below-average defense at the shortstop position, and since taking over the position full-time prior to the 2020 season, Torres’ offensive production has significantly dropped. After batting .275/.338/.511 in 1088 PA in 2018-19, Torres has since hit only .241/.337/.348 in 497 plate appearances.
Should the Yankees be looking for a new shortstop come the offseason, they’ll have many options to pick from amidst a very star-studded shortstop class that will include Story himself. The Yankees would certainly use their two-plus months with Story as a recruiting pitch to perhaps interest him in a long-term commitment this winter, and there would be no better enticement than if Story could help the team get into the postseason.
Playing on a $17.5MM salary for 2021, Story has about $6.97MM remaining. It isn’t a huge sum unto itself, though it does weigh heavily for a Yankees team that has prioritized staying under the $210MM luxury tax threshold this season, and thus resetting their penalty status. New York is already within roughly $4MM of the threshold, and the Yankees also have holes to fill in the outfield and within the pitching staff. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted today, the Rockies could opt to maximize their return for Story by offering to eat the rest of his salary in exchange for a better prospect return, which would certainly get the Yankees’ attention and would be a canny move to increase the trade value of a rental player.
That said, there is also some doubt that Colorado will move Story at all, since the team will get a compensatory draft pick should Story reject the qualifying offer and sign elsewhere in free agency. The Yankees would have to top the value of that compensatory pick, which New York might not be willing to do for a rental player, and if the team is ultimately competing just for a one-game wild card playoff at this point (given the eight-game gap between the Yankees and the first-place Red Sox in the AL East standings).
I’m not denying Trevor Story has talent. I just don’t see him as a fit with the Yankees. He plays shortstop, which the team doesn’t have a need for, and he’s not a centerfielder. They need Joey Gallo in the lineup to help provide a lefthanded power bat in between Judge and Stanton. Story would definitely be better off playing elsewhere.
If trading aggressively from the ML roster and eating salary to enhance the returns is the smart thing to do… What do we see the Rockies doing? I think they’ll flip Gray for a prospect nobody thinks much of, but maybe they don’t even move Story.
Also Trevor Story’s career home/road splits are pretty drastic so I would stay away. 60 pts difference in the AVG, and HR/RBI about 40% less on the road.
After seeing the return for Nelson Cruz today, story should get a good return
What do you mean? Two guys who never sniffed the top 100 prospect list? Yes, Story will command more, but likely not by much.
And part of the prospect pedigree came from the Twins throwing another piece in
Actually one of them was on the top 100, granted at 98 but still top 100 pre 2020 nonetheless.
Please….pre-2020…give us a break!
Agreed, the return was pretty average to mediocre even for a player going free agent at the end of the year……
Duran & Garcia should do the trick.
Story would be a bad one for the Yankees – another right handed power hitter that strikes out a lot. Not a great hitter – really benefits from Coors Field. Hitting .180 on the road this year. Hard pass.
Tulowitzki 2.0
The real question is how much of the future will Cashman give away for a better shot at a one game playoff on the road.
They will never catch Boston or Tampa Bay even with Story or Gallo in the lineup.
I really was starting to think they had a chance, but last night shows they can’t get out of their own way.
@lucky
You are so right, I don’t even know where to begin. What a fiasco, still smh!
Yankees can’t afford virtually anyone without going over the tax threshold. Nothing but click bait here. Rockies are not paying to trade a player so soon after NA was moved.
Future…..do you watch them at all….Cashman hasn’t promoted anyone who has actually stuck since Judge and he can up with 2 other “can’t miss” guys who you can’t even remember…..Future….that’s a joke….the Yankees are always guilty of using their farm team as trade pieces not actually grooming them for big league play on the Yankees.
Why bother trading for anything this year unless it’s Chapman to another team. Save the prospects.
And so is the rest of the leagues prospective buyers interested in Story’s services.
Trading for Story is the type of move the Yankees would make.
Rockies would love to keep him away from their division, I could see it.
I don’t know if it’s the best move behind Boston and Tampa though
Give up prospect capital for a half year rental of a shortstop making 7 mill and a .740 ops? Thrill me.
Here comes the “Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar” trade proposals with a throw in of either Deivi Garcia or Florial to seal the deal
Haven’t seen this suggestion in the comments
It’s kind of a meme in here. Some Yankee fans will throw those names out for almost any player.
See the Cruz trade comments. They’re there.
The Yankees are not getting Story. Saw MLB article on how the Yankees think they can get all the top MLB talent for low ball scrub players offers what a complete joke and totally unrealistic lol! MLB is not the Yankees farm system. If Yankees want Story or any of the other top players available, then they will have to fork over top prospects and young players. Yankees are not inclined to trade their top prospects and young players. Teams will not be giving the NYY huge discounts and just hand over their top,, players..
Besides, the Yankees really need pitching and not more hitting….and they will have to pay market rates for any pitching deals too!
Yankees are not a championship quality team right now. Why give up prospects, blow through the CBT, for a rental that may not even get them to the playoffs? I’m not saying Story is a bad player, and I’m not suggesting the Yankees can get him for a 32nd round pick and a dozen Brett Gardner bobble-heads, but 2021 just isn’t going to work for them. Build for the future.
Exactly this. Zero reason to give up anything for a rental when this team is going nowhere. Sell some chips and retool for next year. Huge mistake not bringing Didi back. Yanks never seem like they want to own up to their poor decisions like thinking Torres can play SS or Sanchez can catch.
A better question is why anyone uses the tax as an excuse for anything.
Because these guys are businessmen and the Yankees are repeat offenders, so the tax and loss of pick has a value. There’s no marginal utility in blowing through the tax this year without being fairly sure you can convert that to a run in the playoffs.
Solid comment…probably correct….better to wait until the offseason when they will have several SS choices and have a chance to re-form the roster rather than take the chance right now with a team that continues to be incredibly dysfunctional in its roster config.
Whether it’s Story or Baez you prefer the true return for pending FA position players is generally 2 prospects ranked between 10-20 or 1 with two outside the top 30 that are roll the dice potential high ceiling type players that have to be developed and are 3-4 years away from MLB. Cubs and Rocky fans are nuts thinking that they are getting anything better than that..
Is anyone watching the Yankees blow game after game after game with their leaky bullpen ? The Yanks should sell. This isn’t their year. She’d payroll and go shopping in the fall, under the luxury tax…
Shed payroll
I think the NYY should trade prospects for Story. Of course, I am a RS fanatic, so……….
But as a baseball fan, before the Yankees do anything, they need to decide Torres’ future. If they are comfortable with him at SS, then their infield is set for 2022 & 2023+. If they don’t think he is their SS, then they need to trade him for value, like maybe today.
IRT Gallo, I think he is a legit target. He’s not a CF, but unless a real CF is available, you play the cards you’re dealt. It’s not ideal, but sometimes it is okay to bludgeon the other team, instead of trying to always win 3-2.
And lastly, they are 4.5 games behind Oakland before even making the playoffs. Then they have to win 3-5, with only using Cole once. Under normal conditions, any WS team has a 1:16 chance of winning the WS. Given that the Yankees are 4.5 back, I have to assume the odds a bit higher than that.
You have a week, and a lot can change, but if someone offered you serious prospects for Torres, or even viable prospects for Frazier, Chapman, etc., they have to think about it. But imo, the absolute disaster move would be to trade for Story, bust the cap, and miss the playoffs.
Agree with everything except your Gallo comment…..he’s not a CF’er and they need strong defense up the middle starting a catcher, through SS and 2nd, and right through CF and Gallo isn’t that kind of guy….beside, if you read my previous comment, they don’t need another .210 hitter with power regardless of him being a left handed hitter…..leopards don’t change their spots and career he is what he is and exit velocity and launch angle doesn’t matter when he’s hitting .210
Normally, I’d agree. But the NYY don’t have a lot of wiggle room. Marte would definitely be a better fit, but if they don’t get him, what’s next on the agenda. Sometimes, your best option is an entirely dislikable option.
If the Yankees sell, Joey Bart and Yaz, for Aaron Judge? Both are extremely cheap and controllable for multiple years.
YOu’re kidding right?
I’ll keep Judge
This is a big deadline for the Yanks.
I wouldn’t get upset if they pass entirely or even sell but I also think they should consider trading some guys off the major league roster. Even trading Torres if you’re going to move him off of short should be on the table.
Luke, Torres, Gio, some of the 3-5 starters or RP’s should all be on the table for trades that bring back upgrades.
Why not go for it and just trade Luke, Gio and Torres for Rizzo, Bryant and Baez?
That’s a bad trade! You need prospects for Gleyber and Urshala. I would deal Voit and a few average prospects for Rizzo. I would consider Baez if I’m moving Gleyber to second for a few prospects but not our top prospects because honestly Baez is another rental they will never resign and Yanks are likely not even making that one game wild card as it stands. If they do they are not built to go far.
That’s not going to happen, they are all free agents at the end of the year! Story makes sense if he can be signed long term!
Yanks only have a 30% chance of making the playoffs, so they should take a good look in the mirror and build for next year. Controllable pitching would be the first priority. They will need to figure out where they have failed this year. An upgrade at first, short, left, and center are also areas that need to be addressed. The relief pitching has really failed them this year, they have lost a lot of games in the late innings..
If I’m Hal I’m calling a meeting with Cashman and Oppenheimer.
I’m telling Cash do not trade any young big prospects for a quick fix or an all or nothing vat like Gallo. I’m telling them to sell sell sell and start with Chapman. Than gauge interest for Urshala and Stanton if Stanton is willing to waive his no trade be prepared to eat a large chunk of that contract to get him off the payroll. San Diego is looking to add another big bat and Stanton returning to west coast might be something worth exploring. Whatever they do they should place untouchable tags on 3 prospects! Jasson Dominguez, Anthony Volpe, and Clarke Schmidt. Scouts are raving about Anthony as a team leader snd saying every team brings his name up first in trade talk. Jasson has the type of talent we haven’t had on our farm in decades! Schmidt is recovering and looking very strong as a front line arm. Those 3 cannot be moved.
How about a grade of Torres for Baez plus a prospect?
Lol no thanks
I proposed this a couple weeks ago. Message for Yankees fans. Cash has made a living selling his crap prospects fir proven veterans. Remember Mateo, B,are Rutherford, Sheffield, on and on. The Yankees pretty much blow at p,Ayer development.
get him and sign him long term
want no part of seager or correa with their injury histories
Doesn’t seem like a match