The Yankees and Mets don’t collaborate on trades often, but could the New York rivals match up on a deal involving first baseman Lucas Duda?
First base has been a black hole for the New York Yankees in 2017 essentially from the word “go.” Yankees first basemen have managed a paltry .668 OPS. Only the Angels are worse with a .620 mark. If the Bronx Bombers are serious about reversing their recent slide and making a run at the playoffs, they’ll need to get a lot more production out of the position in the second half.
Internal options have all fallen victim to injuries or ineffectiveness, making the trade market seem like an increasingly inevitable source for a solution. And their quest for an adequate first baseman could lead the Yanks right to the doorstep of their crosstown rivals.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Mets would be willing to discuss Lucas Duda with the Yankees, although his source admitted it’s a bit easier said than done. However, the Yanks and Mets doing business certainly isn’t unprecedented. They famously swapped Robin Ventura and David Justice in 2001, and most recently completed a deal in 2014.
If healthy, Duda would indeed be a likely upgrade over any of the Yankees’ current choices at first base. But that’s a pretty big “if”: The 31-year-old played in just 47 games last season as he recovered from a fracture in his lower back, and he’s already spent time on the DL this year with a hyperextended left elbow.
Injuries are a big reason the Yanks are in this mess in the first place. Near the end of a blazing-hot spring training in which he belted eight home runs, Greg Bird fouled a ball off his ankle. He never quite seemed to get over the injury, as he hit for a .100 average with just one homer through 19 games before hitting the disabled list. He was recently shifted to the 60-day DL and with surgery a possibility, there’s no guarantee he even makes it back this year.
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After suffering through Chris Carter‘s 36.5 percent strikeout rate with not nearly enough home run power to back it up, New York turned to Tyler Austin. He strained his hamstring after only four games and there is no timetable for return. Briefly enter Carter again, until yesterday’s arrival of Ji-Man Choi. The 26-year-old hit a homer in his season debut and does have good numbers at Triple-A, but he’s probably not a long-term answer.
When he has been on the field this season, Duda has shown all of his usual power. In 59 games he owns a .249/.359/.548 slash line with 14 home runs, 17 doubles and 30 RBI. He clubbed a career-high 30 long balls in 2014 and followed that up with 27 more the next year. In a lineup that already boasts some legitimate firepower, Duda would fit right in.
Nevertheless, given Duda’s track record it feels like the Yankees would just be adding another injury risk to the pile. If he doesn’t cost too much (a possibility since he’s a half-season rental, though you know the Mets don’t want to be fleeced) then perhaps they’d roll the dice. Some of the more high-end first base options such as Eric Hosmer or Yonder Alonso would surely demand a more enticing prospect package.
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The Yankees’ alarming performance over the past few weeks has exposed several weaknesses that could be addressed via trade, including both the starting rotation and bullpen. It seems unavoidable they’ll have to do something at first base, though. Whether that something is a rare trade with their city co-inhabitants remains to be seen.