MLB trade rumors: 5 potential pitching targets for Yankees

Who could Yankees general manager Brian Cashman add to help in the starting rotation? Five names are out on the rumor mill, including San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner and former Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels.

Expect to see and hear a ton about the Yankees between now and the July 31 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

The reason is simple: This Yankees team is good enough to make the postseason without doing a thing, but will likely think much bigger. Any move made is for one reason: Getting through what will likely be a gauntlet in the American League postseason.

In order to do that, a starting pitching upgrade is likely needed.

According to Jon Heyman of FRS Baseball, five names are floating out there as possibilities: Tampa Bay Rays’ Chris Archer, Detroit Tigers’ Michael Fulmer, Kansas City Royals’ Danny Duffy, San Francisco Giants’ Madison Bumgarner and Texas Rangers’ Cole Hamels.

If they could somehow talk the Giants out of Madison Bumgarner, that would perfectly fill the need for an ace. But barring a miracle like that, they may have to settle for a No. 2-3 type starter. Chris Archer may be the most talented starter out there, but it’s hard to see Tampa Bay helping the Yankees. Michael Fulmer, Cole Hamels and Danny Duffy are among others who could potentially help, but none are pitching like Cole at present. Hamels, though, may be a non-starter due to the Yankees’ desire to stay under the $197 million luxury tax threshold due to his $24 million salary.

Almost all come with some degree of concern, but obvious upside.

Stanton regret?

Archer (96 OPS+) has been below average since the start of 2016. Hamels is owed a ton of money and has less-than-stellar peripheral stats (4.83 FIP) this season. Fulmer’s strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.60) is down after offseason elbow surgery. Duffy is giving up home runs (12 HR in 47 IP) at a ridiculous pace. Bumgarner is the outlier, but it would take a major organizational shift for the Giants to consider dealing him.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is armed with one of baseball’s best and deepest farm systems, giving the front office ammunition to pursue any of the starters on the rumor mill.

Joe Giglio may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.