MLB trade rumors: Mets’ Zack Wheeler to Yankees or Phillies?

by Felix Pantaleón

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is shopping for starting pitching before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline. Adding Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler to a pitching staff that already received a boost from Baltimore Orioles’ left-hander Zach Britton and Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ would be a bold move.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman figures to be a busy man for the next 36 hours leading up to the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Cashman is looking to make more upgrades to a pitching staff that already added Baltimore Orioles reliever Zach Britton and Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ last week.

Phillies, Braves, Brewers and Yankees are among teams to have shown the most interest in Zack Wheeler. 2 division rivals, the ny rival and milw. In any case, no one has met the asking price. If nothing changes, may well stay in queens.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2018

Wheeler pitched Sunday for the Mets, throwing six shutout innings in a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Wheeler is getting hot at the right time. He’s won his last three starts, giving up a total of six runs in 20.2 innings pitched.

For the season, Wheeler is 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 20 starts for a Mets club which is in last place in the National League East.

Trade deadline: LIVE updates

Getting another starting pitcher would be an interesting move for Cashman, who put two of his best bats on the disabled list last week: Aaron Judge (fractured wrist) and Gary Sanchez (groin strain). Plus Clint Frazier (post-concussion symptoms) is on the DL as well.

Happ impressed in his Yankees debut Sunday, giving up one run in six innings of work to pick up the win in a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

The win kept the Yankees 5.5 games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East. Boston owns the best record in baseball (74-33) and opens a two-game series against the Phillies at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. on Monday.

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