By WFAN.com
The Yankees are reportedly working the phones in the final hours before Tuesday's trade deadline in pursuit of another outfield bat.
The Bombers are without Aaron Judge (fractured wrist) and Clint Frazier (post-concussion symptoms) for a while as they try to gain ground on the Red Sox in the American League East.
The biggest name being linked to the Yankees in reports is the Giants' Andrew McCutchen. But MLB.com's Mark Feinsand described New York as only having a "soft interest" in the former National League MVP with the Pirates.
Source: Yankees have "soft interest" in Giants' Andrew McCutchen. They're expected to deal for an OF today, but appear to have others in their sights ahead of the former NL MVP.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand)
July 31, 2018 The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported that the Yanks are hoping to find an outfielder who will be comfortable with coming off the bench after Judge returns. McCutchen doesn't figure to fit that bill. That, and the higher price tag, might explain why, according to Feinsand, the Yankees have other players ahead of McCutchen, who is in the final year of his contract, on their list.
#Yankees want to add an OF bat, preferably RH. But heard Pham was not one they were on. Keep hearing it has to be type comfortable with becoming bench player when Judge returns.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1)
July 31, 2018 Other players the Yankees are said to have interest in are the the Blue Jays' Curtis Granderson and the Mets' Jose Bautista.
MORE: Yankees Acquire Lance Lynn For Tyler Austin, Luis Rijo
Granderson, 37, who played for the Yankees from 2010-13, is batting .234 with 10 homers and 31 RBIs.
And Bautista, whom the Mets signed in May, days after the Braves released the two-time AL home run champ, is hitting .216 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs. WFAN baseball insider Jon Heyman reported that a Bautista trade to the Yankees is highly unlikely because, in part, the Mets don't view him "as a giveaway due to how well he's played" since arriving in Queens.
yankees are looking for a righty bat and at some pint spoke to the mets about jose bautista. mets don't view joey bats as a giveaway due to how well he's played in queens (124 ops plus), and yankees-mets trades are hard. so it's not extremely likely to happen.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman)
July 31, 2018 Granderson and Bautista would both be rentals, as well.
New York also reportedly had interest in Marlins outfielder Cameron Maybin, but he is now headed to the Mariners, Heyman reported.
MORE: Yankees Trade Adam Warren To Mariners
Another player who is off the market is Bryce Harper. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told The Washington Post on Tuesday that the former ML MVP "is not going anywhere."
The Yankees, who are 67-37 but trail Boston by six games, have been quite active in the days leading up to Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline, acquiring pitchers Zach Britton, J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn.
