MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees close to landing Twins Jaime Garcia

Talks between the Yankees and Athletics for Sonny Gray heated up Saturday afternoon with nearly all sources expecting Gray to be a Yankee by the end of Sunday. However, early Sunday morning has brought us more news. The Yankees are close to landing Jaime Garcia.

Garcia has already been on the move this trade season, moving from Atlanta to Minnesota last Monday. The Twins have hit a skid since trading for Garcia, and seem likely to move him toward a more solid contender.

Jeff Passan notes that trading for Garcia would not mean the Yankees weren’t also landing Gray, but it does make things interesting. Someone else in the rotation would get bounced if New York swung a trade for two starters. Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery seem pretty safe with the years they are having. Would Brian Cashman and company kick CC Sabathia or Masahiro Tanaka to the bullpen? Seems hard to imagine.

Double-A starter Zack Littell was scratched from his start with the Thunder on Saturday, and Jon Morosi believes he might be part of a deal for Garcia.

Littell’s healthy scratch made him an easy inclusion in whatever trade talks the Yankees were taking part in. While most thought it would be for Gray, sources did note that a Gray deal was not the only thing in the works for Cashman.

The sudden push for Garcia does make the Gray deal feel a little less certain than it seemed a couple hours ago, despite Passan indicating that one doesn’t preclude the other. Maybe Billy Beane’s price has not dropped as low as Cashman wants it to, or maybe Cashman is calling his bluff with interest in Garcia. The trade deadline is coming, and it seems like it’s going to get weird.