In his search to find an upgrade for the team, Brian Cashman seems to be looking under every rock in the trade deadline quarry. While the Yankees didn't get involved in the Ben Zobrist market, they seem to be still interested in adding another second baseman to the mix as they made an offer to the Mariners for Dusin Ackley, but Seattle said no. According to Mark Feinsand, the Yankees offered Ramon Flores and/or Ben Gamel, but Jack Zduriencik seems to be looking for something more substantial.
It's no surprise the Yankees are at least kicking the tires on Ackley as he's been someone they like for quite some time. They squashed a potential deal last year when they turned down a Bryan Mitchell for Ackley trade that the Mariners suggested. It's just a pity that Ackley isn't actually all that good for all the focus he has gotten from the Yankees. The former second baseman and current outfielder has hit only .215/.270/.366 this season, which is actually horribly similar to his .225/.282/.335 batting line at last year's deadline. Maybe they think he'd be better outside of Safeco Field as a left-handed hitter at Yankee Stadium, but that's a pretty simplistic scouting report since he's been better at home this year and isn't much of a pull hitter. He could just be that bad.
While the Yankees might not exactly miss Ramon Flores if they dealt him, it's my opinion that there's no guarantee that Ackley is even a better player right now. We saw a small glimpse of what Flores brought to the table, and even if that was only a mirage, the potential for a useful outfield bat off the bench is likely more than a below-average Ackley. He's been just as bad as Stephen Drew, without the random home run barrage, and he hasn't played second for more than one game in a season since 2013. This might have been the most substantial offer Zduriencik will ever get for Ackely.
If the Yankees are looking for a solution at second base, Dustin Ackley is not the answer. I once thought it was worth trading Mitchell to get him, but after seeing what the 24-year-old pitcher did out of the bullpen, I'm glad he's still here and Ackley is not. At 27, Ackely is about to become arbitration eligible for the first time next year and might not be long for Seattle now that he's about to get expensive. Maybe the Yankees can pick him up and give him a shot once he's eventually dumped in the next year or two.