Yankees & The Pirates Are Knee Deep In It

Things are about to get spicy in the Bronx—and it’s only July 20th. Buckle up, because the Yankees’ front office is about to be drowning in trade rumors, pitching possibilities, and infield dilemmas. But will they actually do anything? Unclear. 

Of course, that’s how this time of year always goes: 12 days of chaos, 400 tweets a minute, and 0 people who actually know anything. Let’s just be real—when it comes to “inside info,” most baseball insiders are just tossing darts blindfolded and hoping one hits a trade target. That said… I’ve come around on Jon Heyman. Yes, I’ve screamed at his tweets. Yes, I’ve called him names I won’t repeat here. But deep down, the guy’s not bad. He means well. And in this Wild West of baseball rumors, “meaning well” is practically sainthood.

According to Heyman, the Yankees and Pirates have been in steady trade conversations, and the potential player mix is interesting, if not tantalizing. Mitch Keller? Yes please. David Bednar and Dennis Santana out of the ‘pen? Interesting. Ke’Bryan Hayes or even… IKF again? Now you’re speaking Cashman’s love language—versatility and good vibes. One team for all our needs. Is that Cashman being smart or lazy? I can’t tell.

Let’s talk Mitch Keller for a second. Sure, he’s rocking a 3-10 record, but don’t let that fool you. Pittsburgh’s offense has been sleepier than a rain delay in extra innings. Keller’s ERA sits at 3.48. The guy can pitch—he just needs a team that can score more than 1.6 runs every fourth start.

As for the infield help, the Yankees must do something. DJ LeMahieu is aging like milk, Oswaldo Cabrera is injured, and the Volpe situation is… well, we’ve discussed that mess before. Enter Ke’Bryan Hayes, a slick defender with little pop. Or… bring back Isiah Kiner-Falefa?

Yeah, I said it. IKF. The guy is hitting .279 with a glove that could snatch a fly out of mid-air. But here’s the catch: Yankee fans roasted this man. They turned him into a scapegoat buffet. If I’m IKF, I’m sipping a cold drink and saying, “Nah, I’m good, thanks.” And honestly, who could blame him?

Still, talks between Pittsburgh and the Yankees are real. The need is obvious. And the deadline clock is ticking louder every hour. Whether Cashman finally pulls off a deal worth remembering—or just dusts off his usual “we tried, not much out there” speech—remains to be seen.

But for now, just remember: the rumors are flying, the insiders are guessing, and we’re all refreshing Twitter like it’s our full-time job. Welcome to July baseball.