MLB trade rumors: Would Yankees include Justus Sheffield in deal for Mariners’ James Paxton?

by Felix Pantaleón

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is shopping for starting pitching. The Seattle Mariners are willing to trade 30-year-old left-hander James Paxton. Is he a better option than free-agent left-handers J.A. Happ, Dallas Keuchel and Patrick Corbin?

If Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wants to add a left-handed pitcher to his starting rotation for 2019, there are several options in free agency, including J.A. Happ, Dallas Keuchel and Patrick Corbin.

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But there’s also a pretty good left-hander available on the trade market: Seattle Mariners southpaw James Paxton.

Yahoo sports’ Jeff Passan got the MLB hot stove buzzing last week when he reported the Mariners are willing to trade Paxton.

Here’s what a Yankees-Mariners trade could look like, according to ESPN’s David Schoenfield:

New York Yankees acquire James Paxton from the Seattle Mariners for LHP Justus Sheffield and RHP Jonathan Loaisiga.

At the GM meetings, Brian Cashman said his three biggest needs were “starting pitching, starting pitching and middle infield.” The Yankees re-signed CC Sabathia, but that’s hardly their final stop at the mall. As for the Mariners, Jerry Dipoto is itching to trade Paxton, who has two seasons of team control left. Based on the Mike Zunino deal, Dipoto is looking for major-league-ready talent more than Class A prospects. Sheffield and Loaisiga both reached the majors last season, so they fit that bill. Sheffield is the better bet to remain a starter, while Loaisiga has some nasty stuff but has had issues staying healthy.

Oh, and then the Yankees can spend $100-plus million on Patrick Corbin — who rooted for the Yankees growing up in Syracuse — to give them a rotation of Luis Severino, Corbin, Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and Sabathia, with Sonny Gray and the rehabbing Jordan Montgomery in reserve.

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The 30-year-old Paxton made a career-high 28 starts in 2018, going 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA.

According to Spotrac, Paxton is arbitration eligible in 2019 and 2020.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.