Pitching Options Shrinking for Yankees

When the New York Mets acquired Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday a collective groan emanated from Yankees fans everywhere.

Long believed to be heading to the Yankees, Stroman was instead coming to New York to pitch for the other team in town, now leaving the Bombers scrambling elsewhere to find pitching.

With less than two days remaining before the MLB trade deadline expires, the Yankees are in dire straits for pitching. They won't admit it, but over their last eight games the Yankees have surrendered 79 runs. They are 3-5 in that span, and have watched their seemingly insurmountable lead on Tampa Bay shrink to 8.5 games.

And the proof is in the starting pitching. James Paxton has given up seven run in each of his last two starts, and has been notorious for having poor outings routinely, i.e. when he gave up six runs to the Mets on June 11.

J.A. Happ has been equally inconsistent. He yielded six runs in three-and-a-third innings against Minnesota last week, and gave up eight runs to Houston on June 23. The Astros and Twins are going to the playoffs, and the Yankees may have to get through both of them to get to the World Series.

New York cannot rely on the inconsistency of Paxton and Happ, the age of CC Sabathia too much longer and put all the pressure on Mashairo Tanaka's shoulders. They need help.

Could the Bombers be play for Mets' Noah Syndergaard? That is a question many are asking this week, but the chances that the Mets and Yankees would make a deal is remote at best. The Mets don't want to see Syndergaard win a World Series in the same town for somebody else, just as much as the Yankees don't want to see Clint Friazer and Miguel Andjuar become superstars in Queens.

Madison Bumgarner: The San Francisco Giants believe they got a shot at the postseason. They are 14-4 since the All-Star Break, and are only 2.5 games out of the wild card spot. They play the Phillies this week which will play a big role in their decision making at the deadline. But chances are they are not going to part with their franchise player, especially now.

Trevor Bauer: The Cleveland Indians are 62-43, lead the AL Wild Card and still have a shot at AL Central title, and yet they want to dumb Bauer. If that doesn't tell you what they think of the temperamental right hander, I don't know what does. Certainly talented, Bauer comes with a big contract and a bad attitude. This is someone the Yankees should avoid, but the market may be pushing Bauer to them.

Mike Minor: Not the biggest name out there, but if the Texas Rangers, who are also in the playoff mix, want to move him he would be an ok piece to add. Nothing special of course. Minor has been shelled his last two starts and is not any better than what the Yankees have. But this is how thin this market is for pitching.

Luis Severino: The Yankees would love nothing more than for their 25-year old ace to return from the Injury List and pitch like the guy we saw a year ago. Severino is expected to throw from a mound for the first time in a couple of weeks, but to realistically expect him to return and be lights out down the stretch and into the playoffs is asking a lot.