MLB trade rumors: Why Yankees should pay big price for Rays’ Chris Archer

If there’s a Chris Archer trade to be made before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver deadline, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman should pay the price to get the deal done with the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Right deal, right player, right time.

For the Yankees, that should be the mindset between now and the 4 p.m. trade deadline on July 31. When it comes to a possible trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for Chris Archer, it’s time to pay a hefty price for a player that can be a difference maker in the short and long term.

According to Jon Heyman of Fancred, the Rays have scouted lefty pitching prospect Justus Sheffield in preparation for a possible deal with the Yankees. Here’s why Archer is worth Sheffield or any combination of a few of New York’s best prospects.

Missing piece in 2018: If the Yankees land Archer, a case can be made that the second-place team in the AL East should be the favorite to win it all. Imagine an October rotation of Luis Severino, Archer, J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka. CC Sabathia could become depth or a lefty out of the pen.

Team control: Much like when the Yankees landed Sonny Gray last season, this is key for a team with an eye on winning now and continuing success into the foreseeable future. Archer comes with team control through the 2021 season. That means the Yankees would be dealing for four cracks at a World Series with him in the rotation.

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Flexibility to create uber team: Archer’s salary by year for the next three seasons: $7.6M, $9M, $11M. That’s the price of a middle reliever in today’s game. If the Yankees want to continue to stay under the luxury tax, Archer can be a critical piece. If, say, the Steinbrenner family is ready to jump back over the tax for a spending spree on Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, having a starter like Archer keeps the total payroll down even with a record contract on the books.

Change of scenery: Archer’s numbers (4.31 ERA in 2018, 4.10 ERA since the start of 2016) aren’t pretty. But his situation in Tampa Bay reeks of an All-Star-caliber player that needs a change of scenery and big-game feel to thrive. Plus, Archer’s peripheral numbers (3.61 ERA, 10.5 SO/9 since 2016) signal a pitcher that should be having better results.

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