The New York Yankees are off to a fast start this season, leading all of MLB with a 10-and-three record, but they have already suffered some serious roster injuries that could cost them in the future.
Franchise ace Gerrit Cole has started the season on the injured list with elbow troubles, anticipated leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu has yet to play due to a foot ailment, and reliever Jonathan Loáisiga suffered a season-ending injury just a few games in.
As a result of Loáisiga’s injury, Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report has classified the Yankees as one of the clubs with a “clear need” at the trade deadline, suggesting Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen as a possible replacement.
“The Yankees’ bullpen has done excellent work so far, pitching to a 2.40 ERA and helping to preserve five one-run wins,” he said. “But it’s not going to have Jonathan Loáisiga for the rest of the year, and that’s a problem.”
Even With Early Success, the New York Yankees Could Look to Trade for a Reliever Like Kenley Jansen
The Yankees have the top-five bullpen ERA in all of MLB, and the organization has chosen a homegrown, under-the-radar strategy to building their relief corps in recent years, but Rymer said that the departure of Loáisiga may necessitate the acquisition of a high-caliber bullpen arm through trade.
“Despite its early success, don’t be so sure that New York’s pen is capable of withstanding Loáisiga’s absence as is,” he went on to say. “It strikes out batters at a rate of 15.3 percent, the lowest in the MLB. To this purpose, his replacement should ideally be a bat-missing veteran.”
Before going down, Loáisiga had tossed four innings for the Yankees this season, allowing seven hits and three strikeouts with no earned runs. The Yankees were hopeful he could make a substantial contribution during the season.
“The Yankees had grand plans for Jonathan Loáisiga this season, envisioning the high-octane right-hander as a multi-inning reliever until the All-Star break, at which point they would have used him more regularly to extinguish late-inning fires,” Bryan Hoch, of MLB.com, said.
Now, they might move on to fulfill that vision via trade.
Kenley Jansen Could Be One of the Most Accomplished Trade Candidates Available to the New York Yankees
In addition to Jansen, Rymer mentioned Tanner Scott of the Miami Marlins, Chris Martin of the Boston Red Sox, Carlos Estévez of the Los Angeles Angels, Adam Ottavino of the New York Mets, and Michael Kopech of the Chicago White Sox as potential trade targets for the Yankees. However, no reliever in the MLB has the same pedigree as the four-time All-Star, who is the current MLB leader in games finished and saves.
Even in his 15th major league season, where he has 423 saves in 618 games, Jansen appears to have much to offer a bullpen. In five games for the Red Sox this season, he has three saves and seven strikeouts, allowing no hits.
He is in the final season of a two-year, $32 million contract with the Red Sox, and if his current team does not believe they will compete for a significant playoff run this year, they will most certainly attempt to gain some trade value by selling him before he hits free agency.
“Jansen is another potential July trade piece,” wrote Jon Heyman for the New York Post. “He expected to be on a contender with Boston.”
If the Yankees are interested in trade for Jansen, there may be some competition. Rymer has previously speculated that Jansen could be traded back to his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
