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NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Despite Masahiro Tanaka doing Tanaka things and the Chad Green opener experiment going pretty well, the Yankees’ rotation could still use some help. They might be getting some soon, as Domingo German is nearing his return. The breakout arm is scheduled to make a start at Scranton today, and if all goes well there he may rejoin the rotation when the Yankees get back from London. Godspeed, Domingo, and may your home run problems be cured along with your hip flexor strain.
ESPN | David Schoenfield: I was not impressed with the DJ LeMahieu signing, as I thought he was an inconsistent hitter who had only managed a league-average batting line once in his career. Well, infallibility has never been my strong suit. LeMahieu is currently running a career-high 136 wRC+ and a team-leading 3.0 fWAR. Here, Schoenfield goes so far as to argue that the infielder is a legitimate MVP candidate by both fWAR and Baseball-Reference WAR. Of course, Mike Trout towers above the field in both metrics, but of the non-Trout candidates LeMahieu’s case does look pretty strong so far. At any rate, one thing is for certain: LeMahieu has been the Yankees’ MVP.
New York Post | Jared Schwartz: Madison Bumgarner has been mentioned by news outlets and fans alike as a target for Brian Cashman this trade deadline. While his season numbers are a far cry from his vintage form, Bumgarner has still been a league-average hurler, and his recent 11-strikeout outing against the Rockies should be enough to fuel anyone’s cognitive biases. For his part, Bumgarner himself is confident that he’s closer to his prime form than people think, saying that both his stuff and how he feels is the same as 2014. Let’s see whether he can back that talk up with results in the coming weeks.
YES | A.J. Herrmann: Speaking of possible Yankees trade target starters who talk the talk: Marcus Stroman! Herrmann provides a quick rundown of why Stroman could be the perfect target for Brian Cashman this deadline. He’s no Max Scherzer, but that’s why he should be easier to get. Meanwhile, he’s pitched substantially better than Bumgarner this year, and he isn’t a rental like the Giant is. And if you’re worried about the whole “can he handle New York” thing, well, Stroman pretty clearly thinks he can. The quotes posted here suggest that he’s confident in his ability to rise to the occasion in big games, and that he’s familiar with the New York area given his upbringing in Medford.