:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60658823/1004916692.jpg.0.jpg)
The Yankees are coming off a busy week on the trade market. They swung deals with division rivals, acquiring Zach Britton from the Orioles to bolster the bullpen and J.A. Happ from the Blue Jays to augment the rotation. That’s a hefty few days of business from GM Brian Cashman, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Yankees are done yet.
There’s no such thing as too much pitching, and according to reports, the Yankees are still keeping an eye on the Mets Zack Wheeler. Speculation about Wheeler has heightened recently as the 28-year-old right-hander has started to put things together. He has made 11 starts since the beginning of June, tossing 70.1 innings with a 3.20 ERA. Over that span he’s held opposing hitters to a .589 OPS and struck out over eight batters per nine.
Wheeler’s overall numbers on the year (4.11 ERA, 3.57 FIP) aren’t quite as impressive, but the nice stretch he is on figures to raise his price. Fancred’s Jon Heyman has reported that no team has given the Mets a satisfactory offer:
Phillies, Braves, Brewers and Yankees are among teams to have shown the most interest in Zack Wheeler. 2 division rivals, the ny rival and milw. In any case, no one has met the asking price. If nothing changes, may well stay in queens.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2018
It also appears that a number of other teams are interested in the right-hander. Wheeler can be a free agent after the 2019 season, and with the Mets mired in an organizational morass, it makes sense that they would see what Wheeler could fetch on the open market while they have him.
Should the Yankees still be hunting for upgrades? Do you think the Mets would consider dealing a non-Jacob deGrom arm like Wheeler to their crosstown rivals? Let us know in the comments below.