Yankees Rumors: Could Goldschmidt and Greinke be trade options?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are expected to look at all available trade options this offseason and they are even expected to listen to offers for Goldschmidt. Could the Yankees make a move?

According to a Tweet by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Arizona Diamondbacks would love to move on from the expensive contract of Zack Greinke and would entertain offers for their franchise player, Paul Goldschmidt.  If they are indeed willing to trade Goldschmidt, he New York Yankees could now be a match in a trade as they look to further improve an already impressive roster during the upcoming offseason.

The Yankees entered the 2017 season with the expectations that it would be a rebuilding year in order to give their young players a chance to grow.  However, after a successful first-half of the season, the Yankees decided to cut the rebuild process short and trade for veteran players that would fit in with their young group.

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season, the organization ended up finding itself only one win away from reaching the World Series.  Although the team quickly shifted to a win-now mode, they still had a master plan in place to reset their luxury tax penalties prior to the completion of the 2018 season.

Despite adding Giancarlo Stanton after the 2017 season, the Yankees were able to remain underneath the luxury tax threshold as they were able to move expensive veteran players such as Starlin Castro and Chase Headley.  The team also decided not to bring back Todd Frazier in order to keep payroll flexibility available to have the ability add impact players during the season.

The decision to create payroll flexibility helped the 2018 Yankees secure a 100-win season as they were able to bring in impact players such as J.A. Happ, Zach Britton, Luke Voit, Adeiny Hechavarria, Lance Lynn, and Andrew McCutchen between July and August.  As the organization was successful in reaching their luxury tax goals, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman likely has a large amount of increased financial flexibility available to add even more talent to a team that is already capable of winning 100 games.

Even though Voit could not have possibly done a better job at first base for the Yankees down the stretch, Cashman would still likely explore all possible options that involve bringing in a perennial MVP candidate with three Gold Gloves and six consecutive All-Star appearances in Goldschmidt.

Goldschmidt has played at least 155 games in each of the last four seasons.  During that time, he has compiled 126 home runs, 408 runs batted in, and 421 runs scored.  He also held a .301 batting average, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .538 slugging percentage during these years.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old is scheduled to earn $14.5 million next season before he reaches free agency for the first time in his career during the 2019-20 offseason.  Although the asking price for Goldschmidt will likely be very steep, Greinke could be a way to lower the price.

Although Greinke is a very talented top of the rotation arm, he is owed $104.5 million over the next three season and there are always the questions on if he will be able handle pitching in New York.  Despite having success in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, Greinke has been in a smaller market with less pressure in Arizona over the last three seasons.  Greinke missed most of the 2006 season due to Social Anxiety as a member of the Kansas City Royals, but he has since stated that his anxiety issues are now in the past.

Although Greinke has compiled at least 13 wins in each of the past eight seasons, he will be entering his age 35, 36, and 37 seasons while being owed $34.5 million in 2019, $35 million in 2020, and $35 million in 2021.  Nonetheless, the Yankees have a player of their own that is owed a large amount of money during his age 35, 36, and 37 seasons over the next three seasons.

Jacoby Ellsbury also has three years left on his current contract and he is owed $21.1 million in 2019, $21.1 million in 2020, and $5.0 million in 2021 in the form of a buyout.  As Ellsbury lives in Arizona, he could potentially be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the Diamondbacks are also willing to take on his salary.

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This could help the Diamondbacks save some of the large amount of money they owe to Greinke while it could also help the Yankees gain a much-needed top of the rotation arm at a discounted price.  For example, if the salary saved by moving Ellsbury is subtracted from the remaining amount that will be owed to Greinke, the Yankees would essentially owe Greinke $13.4 million in 2019, $13.9 million in 2020, and $30 million in 2021.

If the Yankees are not sold on Voit at first base, and they are unwilling to provide a lengthy contract to a top of the rotation pitcher such as Patrick Corbin, the team could very well be in play to trade for Goldschmidt and Greinke.

The Diamondbacks and Yankees also have a history of making deals together. In 2005, the two teams matched up in a trade that sent Randy Johnson to the Bronx before the Yankees sent Johnson back to Arizona in 2007.  In 2009, the Diamondbacks helped facilitate a three-team trade with the Detroit Tigers that resulted in Curtis Granderson making his way to the Bronx.

Following the retirement of Derek Jeter, the Diamondbacks helped the Yankees find their new shortstop by sending Didi Gregorius over in a trade and prior to last season, the two teams also linked up in a trade that sent Brandon Drury to New York.

It is unknown what the Diamondbacks will be looking for in return for Goldschmidt, but the Yankees do have a lot of intriguing trade pieces such as Chance Adams and Clint Frazier that could be available in the right deal.  Voit could also potentially be included in a deal as he is still under team control through the 2024 season.  Do you think it is worth taking a chance on Greinke being able to handle New York in order to bring in a perennial MVP candidate in Goldschmidt, or are the Yankees better off using Voit at first base next season while looking elsewhere for starting pitching?