by If the Yankees want to trade third baseman Brandon Drury, here are three teams that would make sense. The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, 2018 (7/31/18). The Yankees have been linked to at least three pitchers: Texas Rangers’ Cole Hamels, Toronto Blue Jays’ J.A. Happ and Detroit Tigers’ Michael Fulmer.
After years of just getting by at third base, the Yankees are suddenly deep with young talent at the position.
What they lack, however, is starting pitching.
With 23-year-old Miguel Andujar seemingly entrenched as the starter at third base, the Yankees general manager Brian Cashman could use 25-year-old Brandon Drury to bring back the arm they need.
When the Yankees acquired Drury early in spring training, he’d been an average second baseman for the Diamondbacks for two seasons. From 206 to 2017, he averaged 14 homers and 58 RBI with a .275 batting average and a .775 OPS.
Is awful Gray pushing Yankees to get pitcher?
In Arizona, though, Drury was playing out of position. He came up a third baseman. That’s where the Yankees moved him to when they sent a pair of mid-level minor-league prospects out for him in the three-team deal, which also included the Rays.
Here are three teams that could use Drury and give the Yankees what they want.
Blue Jays
What they have: LHP JA Happ
Why they would want Drury: The Blue Jays have maybe the game’s best prospect knocking at the door. His name: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. His position: Third base. So maybe Drury wouldn’t be the best fit at the hot corner. But Drury has shown that, despite his size and bulk, he can handle second base and he’s worked enough at first base for the Yankees to trust him there, too.
Rangers
What they have: LHP Cole Hamels
Why they would want Drury: Future Hall of Famer and third baseman Adrian Beltre has said he doesn’t know if he wants to play next season. He added that if he does play, however, he wants to be a Ranger. So far, the 39-year-old has been solid, hitting .311 with four homers and 26 RBI and a .817 OPS in 53 games. If Texas wants to move on from Beltre, Drury they could do much worse than Drury, especially considering they don’t have a heir apparent at the position in the minors.
Tigers
What they have: RHP Michael Fulmer
Why they would want Drury: Third baseman Jeimer Candelario had hit 16 homers for Detroit going into Sunday. He’s just 24 years old and he was considered a talented prospect when the Tigers got him from the Cubs in the offseason in a deal for ex-Yankees reliever Justin Wilson. Detroit likely wants Candelario at third base. But Drury is the better defender at the position and if the Yankees saw untapped offensive upside in Drury — namely, power — the Tigers might, too. They don’t have a second baseman that would play over Drury, either.
Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
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