MLB trade rumors: Yankees pivoting to Orioles’ Kevin Gausman?

Add Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman to the long list of potential starters Yankees general manager Brian Cashman could land before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) trade deadline. Tampa Bay Rays right-handers Chris Archer and Nathan Eovaldi, as well as Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, Texas Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels and Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ are other options on a weak pitching market.

Another day, another name.

As the Yankees quest for an impact starting pitcher continues, we can now add Baltimore Orioles righty Kevin Gausman to a list that includes at least Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Madison Bumgarner, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Chris Archer and Michael Fulmer.

According to Orioles reporter Roch Kubatko, the Yankees have checked in on Gausman’s availability with Baltimore.

Have heard #brewers asked about Schoop and Gausman. #yankees have checked on Gausman. #braves have expressed interest in Schoop, Gausman and Bundy #orioles

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) July 22, 2018

Gausman, 27, owns a 4.33 ERA across 19 starts this season for the lowly Orioles. Those number include 112.1 innings, 3.59 SO/BB and a 4.48 FIP.

Despite the hope that Gausman could and would turn into a top-of-the-rotation arm, that kind of performance hasn’t manifested itself since Baltimore made the Colorado native the fourth pick in the 2012 draft.

Britton to Yanks?

Since debuting in 2013, Guasman owns a 4.20 ERA. That equates to a 100 ERA+, which signals an average performance relative to the rest of the league.

If a deal went down, at least one Yankee would be over-the-top excited for this arm to arrive for the stretch run: Current New York first baseman and former Gausman high school teammate, Greg Bird.

“I secretly always, deep down, hope we get him,” Bird told NJ Advance Media earlier this month.

“I think he would fit great into this, just knowing him,” Bird said, pointing to the clubhouse. “But there’s a lot of guys like that, honestly. Great guy, on and off the field. Very light. Very even keel. Just a good dude, always been like that.”

Guasman is under team control through the 2020 season, potentially giving a contender three pennant races of mid-rotation production–with the hope for higher performance sprinkled in.

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