New York Yankees: Cashman Calls Chris Sale Trade a "Dangerous Approach"
Trade rumors are nothing new for Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale. Over the past few years, his name has popped up steadily. But at least one team may not be ready to acquire a talent such as Sale.
For the New York Yankees, the 2016 season was notable for a few reasons. Down the stretch, the Yankees had hopes of becoming the second wildcard in the American League. The Bronx Bombers ultimately fell short by five games.
The other reason the season was notable, was due to the flurry of trades orchestrated by general manager Brian Cashman. The Yankees traded Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Beltran in deals that netted New York an abundance of top prospects and quickly revamped their farm system.
Despite the Yankees having a top farm system, they don’t sound tempted to sell the farm for an ace, at least not yet. Referencing White Sox ace Chris Sale, Cashman told Jack Curry of YES Network that a blockbuster deal for a player like Sale is a “dangerous approach.”
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Cashman noted that making a deal of such magnitude is for a team that is just one player away from making a World Series push. The Cubs, for example, gave up a large haul to Cashman and the Yankees to acquire Chapman, because they felt they were a piece away. Of course, the Cubs are now serious contenders to win the World Series.
The Yankees’ roster is depleted of many of their veterans. Alex Rodriquez is gone. Mark Teixeira has retired. The aforementioned veterans, Chapman, Miller, and Beltran have been traded. The Yankees, to Cashman’s own admission, are not one piece away.
However, the Yankees have put themselves in position to eventually acquire a talent such as Sale. To acquire a top pitcher, especially one who is under team control for the coming years as Sale is, it takes a large haul. New York may not want to part with some of their prized prospects, but the important development which occurred during the season, is they’ve built up a system that can acquire a player such as Sale, if they would like.
New York’s top two prospects, according to MLB.com, are Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres. Frazier, an outfielder, was Cleveland’s top prospect, and acquired by the Yankees in the Miller trade. Torres, a shortstop, was acquired from the Cubs in the Chapman deal. The Yankees acquired a multitude of other prospects at the deadline that included Justus Sheffield, Dillon Tate, Billy McKinney, and others. And Cashman added the new prospects to a system that already included Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo, and catching sensation Gary Sanchez.
If the Yankees were willing to part with the necessary prospects, they could likely acquire Sale or a different ace to put them over the top. The problem is, the Yankees aren’t yet in a position to acquire Sale and add him to a playoff-ready roster.
In time, though, whether it be 2017 or the years that follow, the Yankees will be a team to watch when it comes to big trades. New York’s revamped system is superior to many others, and Cashman can use that to his advantage if the Yankees are in contention in the coming years.