The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Wednesday that the Yankees may prioritize getting under the top luxury tax tier at the trade deadline, meaning pending free agents like Luis Severino, Wandy Peralta, or Harrison Bader could be traded.
Evan says that better not be the case.
“That’s a problem,” Evan said. “If you’re the New York Yankees and you’re a Yankee fan, especially days after w heard they’re adding a patch to their uniform that is going to net them $25 million a year, there is not Yankee fan that wants to hear about the luxury tax threshold as the team is spiraling out of control. That can’t be a thought if you’re Hal Steinbrenner.
“That’s not the Yankees I know.”
Joe agrees that it would be unfathomable for the Yankees, the Evil Empire, to deploy such a tactic, and says that will only happen if the team completely freefalls over the next week-plus.
“It’s a different world with Hal,” Joe said. “We know what the deal was and what would be happening if George was here. Boone would have been gone a long time ago.
Probably Cashman too. But I just find it hard to believe they’re gonna do that.
Unless they really go into a major funk, they go into this massive losing streak, and they’re under .500, then I could see it happening.”
However, as Evan pointed out, the Yankees have been sellers before, while being in a position that is not so different from their current one.
“The New York Yankees in July of 2016, standings wise, were pretty much in the same place as they are now,” Evan said. “They were four games out of a Wild Card spot when they traded Aroldis Chapman. They were four games above .500. Where are they now? They’re four games above .500…that doesn’t mean I think they’re gonna sell. This Yankee team, at least on paper, should be better.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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