New York Yankees looking to trade for Colorado Rockies’ best bat

Like the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees are currently in last place, unlike the Rockies who could lose 100 games this season, the Yankees are above .500 at 54-48 and are 2.5 games out of a playoff spot.

The Yankees last missed the playoffs in 2016 but are playing in the historically good AL East which could become the first division in MLB history to see all of its teams play .500 ball or better. Part of this is smaller divisions than in the past, part is more wild card spots and the biggest part is a less division-focused schedule. Still, the Bronx Bomber need to beef up and they’re looking at the Rockies best bat this season as an option.

According to The Athletic, this is where the Yankees are:

1. The team is interested in acquiring someone who could play left field capably and provide some offensive impact, and the Rockies’ Randal Grichuk has been on their radar, the person said, at least somewhat because he’s low-cost. The Blue Jays are paying just about half of the approximately $3 million he’s owed the rest of the season. It’s unclear what it would take for the Yankees to acquire Grichuk, though the Bombers could look in any deal to trade from their greatest strength, the bullpen. The Yankees have also been connected to the Cardinals’ Dylan Carlson and the Cubs’ Cody Bellinger.

The Yankees have a lot of DHs and corner infielders, yet lack gloves in the outfield. Grichuk isn’t a noteworthy fielder but he can and has played all three outfield spots this year and across his 10-year big league career.

Grichuk’s offense has been the best in purple this season, with a team-leading 116 OPS+, he’s just one of two Rockies (Ryan McMahon) swinging above league average. In 61 games this season, the 31-year-old is slashing .307/.364/.478 with six homers and 25 RBI. Grichuk has had one or two good seasons followed by subpar ones for most of his career and that’s what has happened here after a poor 2022.

If Grichuk does get moved it could be the first of several trades as the Rockies do what they rarely do, sell off. Still even Grichuk on the move won’t be the biggest-name 10-year big leaguer who played for the Rockies that could be on the move ahead of Tuesday.

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