Yankees rumors: New York could cut Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira if they decide to sell

The Yankees have not gotten production out of two of their highest paid players all season with little sign that things will change in the second half. Should the team decide to sell over the course of the next week and a half, it's possible that Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira could be released, according to Jon Heyman.

There isn't an abundance of evidence in Heyman's article, but he does say that Yankees people have discussed the possibility, noting that it would allow them to proceed with the rebuilding process. Teixeira's contract is up at the end of the season and it is highly unlikely that anyone would want to take him on even for a couple months. Rodriguez is with the team for another year, but has lost a chunk of his at-bats to Carlos Beltran needing to occupy the DH spot.

Even if neither player is moved in a trade, which seems fairly certain, the team could receive players that would be able to fill their roles on the team. Rob Refsnyder has been adequate at first base in Teixeira's absence due to injuries, and virtually anyone could take DH at-bats.

The primary concern for the Yankees will be to decide whether or not they feel it is a wiser investment to cut the two players loose rather than have them continue to suit up for the team. Both had strong seasons a year ago that helped the Yankees reach the Wild Card game, but neither has shown that same ability at any point this season.

It isn't a certainty yet that the Yankees will decide to sell, even if it seems obvious that it is the better path for the team moving forward. Neither Teixeira nor Rodriguez is going to be a part of the team's future, and it may be best to jump start the future without them to free up roster space that would otherwise be occupied by players no longer producing at a high enough level.

Cutting Teixeira or Rodriguez would be a surprising, though not shocking, move. Both have been cornerstones of the Yankees for the past several years and the team's identity will be very different without them. It would, however, show that the front office would rather have their mistakes cost them only money instead of performance on the field. That would be a big step forward from what we have seen, and might renew some faith lost in their vision for the future.

Do you think it is worth it for the Yankees to move on from Teixeira and Rodriguez now instead of waiting until their contracts expire? Who would you like to see fill their spots if the team does decide to release one or both of them before the year is over?

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