MLB trade rumors: Blue Jays’ J.A. Happ to Yankees or Mariners?

With injuries to Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery, and inconsistency from Sonny Gray and Domingo German, Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to find some starting pitching before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline. Toronto Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ could be his man.

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It’s no secret the Yankees need starting pitching. Jordan Montgomery is out for the season after having Tommy John surgery. Masahiro Tanaka is on the disabled list with a pair of strained hamstrings. And the Yankees never know what they are going to get on any given day from Sonny Gray and Domingo German.

So GM Brian Cashman will be hunting for arms before the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31st. And while he’s reluctant to give up prized rookies Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, Cashman has enough depth in the system to make a move for a front-line starter.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports the Yankees and Mariners are interested in Blue Jays southpaw J.A. Happ.

Morosi says the Yankees interest stems from the fact the Red Sox have an MLB-best .813 OPS against right-handed pitchers but only .672 against left-handed pitchers.

This isn’t the first time Happ has been linked to the Yankees this season.

And according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, six teams could be in the mix for Happ.

Happ may become one of the most popular targets on the trade market. He will be a free agent at the end of the season, and he’ll be owed about $5 million for the rest of the year if he’s dealt in July. This is seen as a bargain. You could see a few NL West teams (Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Rockies) being interested as well as the Yankees, Braves, and Phillies.

Ex-Yank knows why Harper is struggling

The 35-year-old Happ is 8-3 in 14 starts this season with a 3.48 ERA.

(NJ Advance Media’s Joe Giglio contributed to this report.)

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.