MLB: Five Teams Outperforming Run Differentials
By Ehsan Kassim
4. New York Yankees
2016 Record: 44-44
Run Differential: -34
2016 PythagenPat: 40-48
+/-: +4
2016 BaseRuns: 40-48
+/-: +4
The New York Yankees are reportedly weighting whether they should become sellers at the trade deadline. While they sport a .500 record and a not-so-insurmountable 5.5 game deficit in the AL Wild Card race, the Yankees should definitely look to be sellers.
Despite owning the second best pitching staff in the American League according to fWAR, the Yankees have not been able to muster enough offense to become a viable threat to the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles this year.
In 2016, the Yankees’ fWAR ranks as the third worst offensive team in baseball. The team’s collective 88 wRC+ is tied with the Oakland Athletics for the second worst mark in the American League.
Outside of Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees should make all of their pitching available for trade.
The San Diego Padres netted a potential mid-rotation arm in Chris Paddack for the services of Fernando Rodney. The Yankees should ask for a king’s ransom on their relievers, Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.
If the Yankees did move on from one of those three relievers, they have a potential late-innings option in struggling starter Nathan Eovaldi, who was recently demoted to the bullpen. His high-heat fastball would probably work better out of the pen than it has in the Yankees rotation this season.
With the type of money the Yankees can throw around, moving some of their expendable parts for major league ready prospects could help the franchise return to prominence pretty quickly, if they can make the right moves.
Selling at the trade deadline is looked down upon for a proud Yankees franchise, but it is likely what’s best for their future, as their record and run differential both suggest this team is an unlikely playoff team in 2016.
Next: Number 3