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The Yankees have been "aggressively shopping" Joba Chamberlain as the trade deadline approaches at the end of this month and Ken Rosenthal said last week that dealing him to a National League team could happen soon. Chamberlain has struggled this season with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP in 22.1 innings. Cutting ties with the impending free agent seems like a priority for the team, but George King of the New York Post writes that Joba's trade value has taken a hit over his "perceived immaturity" and belief from other teams that the Yankees may just release him soon.
With so many players returning from the 60-day disabled list in the second half, the Yankees are going to have to make room for them on the 40-man roster by parting ways with guys who have played a role, for better or worse, in the first half of the season. Once David Phelps returns and if Michael Pineda is brought up from Triple-A in the second half of the season, there may not be enough room in the bullpen for a player struggling the way that Joba has this season. The Yankees will, of course, try to find a trade partner willing to give up something of value for the reliever, but if there are no takers, it doesn't seem implausible that they'd resort to just cutting ties.
A release or trade would be the final nail in the coffin of a tumultuous relationship between the Yankees and Chamberlain. Back in spring training Joba expressed his belief that he could still be a starting pitcher in MLB, which is a sure sign of a man that knows he won't be in pinstripes next season. Perhaps another team could find a way to turn him into the players the Yankees hoped they could. The chances of him finding his way on this team seems unlikely, and keeping him around beyond the deadline would just be prolonging the inevitable. A trade or release may work best for both parties at this point.