What the lack of trade deadline activity means for young Yankees players

Nearly everybody expected the Yankees to trade for a pitcher this July to bolster their fairly weak starting rotation for a playoff run. Well, the trade deadline has come and gone and the Yankees technically added one new pitcher, Alfredo Garcia from the Rockies joined the minor-league system.

So they didn’t make a significant move and their starting rotation stays the same. But while everybody is concerned about who the Yankees didn’t get, they forget about the players they kept.

Brian Cashman was vociferous about the fact that there weren’t any moves to make, and that in most cases, the prices proved too high.

Since no deals went down, players like Clint Frazier, Deivi Garcia, Tyler Wade, Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Jonathan Loaisiga, and more are staying put. These are all highly-touted players who could have netted the Yankees a significant return return. Yet, Cashman chose to keep all of them and stick with the current arms he has now. What does this mean for each player?

It makes sense to begin with Frazier. He’s had a roller-coaster tenure since joining the Yankees at the trade deadline in 2016. Nothing has changed for Frazier this season as he has been up and down all year, seemingly unable to find his rhythm. He proved he’s a great hitter, but his defensive struggles led to a brush up here and there with the New York media.

Cashman said a lot by not desperately dealing Frazier for a mediocre pitcher. Whether there was a good opportunity or not, the front office felt that his bat could provide something to the team down the stretch or in the playoffs. After a fairly inconsistent year from Frazier that has caused a headache or two, he is here to stay and help the team compete for a championship.

Andujar is a player that hasn’t been talked about much since Gio Urshela has stolen the spotlight at third base. The Yankees took a chance on Urshela, who had a great glove but needed to prove himself with the bat, and he has done nothing but impress. While Andujar’s name surfaced once or twice in trade rumors, not much came of it. He is, however, another player that should feel confident that he’s still with the team. The Yankees know Andujar has a special bat, so keeping him illustrates the team’s belief in his future.

Garcia, meanwhile had his name tossed around a ton over the last week or two. He’s a 20- year-old right-handed pitcher and the team’s top prospect. Along with Frazier, Garcia was most likely going to be a trade piece for the Bombers if they had made a substantial move. Many fans were hesitant to get rid of him, and I’m sure are glad he’s still here. Keeping him shows that he may have a role later on this season with the big-league team to provide extra firepower out of the bullpen.

Florial had been a top Yankee prospect for a few years now. Ever since 2017, the Yankees have been legitimate contenders for a World Series. So for a player to make it through three trade deadlines without getting dealt for a pitcher, reliever or bat, is pretty incredible. Cashman loves the speed and arm on this guy, and he has made it clear there’s almost nobody for which he would deal him.

Cashman frequently mentions his goal is to mention championships, not just a single championship. So did the Yankees make the right decision by keeping these players for the foreseeable future? It definitely helps to have an endless pipeline of young talent. But will they be able to capture that first World Series title on their way to hopefully many more? We’ll find out.