New York Yankees, Oakland A’s in talks for a trade for starting pitching

According to our colleague Robert Murray, the New York Yankees and Oakland A’s have been in discussions for a trade. The A’s, who are in the middle of a firesale, could be looking to trade starting pitchers Frankie Montas and/or Sean Manaea to the Yankees, who are looking to shore up their starting rotation.

Oakland A’s starters Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea could head to the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees and Oakland A’s could be looking to hook up in a trade for starters Frankie Montas and/or Sean Manaea.

The A’s have already been in “firesale” mode, as they have traded first baseman Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves and third baseman Matt Chapman to the Toronto Blue Jays, and starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to the New York Mets all since the MLB lockout ended less than one week ago.

The Yankees currently have a rotation comprised of Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, Jameson Taillon, and Nestor Cortes, Jr.

If the Yankees were to acquire one or both of the A’s starters, Cortes, Jr. would go to the bullpen, as he spent some time in the bullpen for the Yankees in 2021. The other three starters have had a long track record of injuries. Severino has pitched a total of 18 innings at the MLB level in the last three seasons due to a rotator cuff injury, a lat strain, Tommy John surgery, and then a groin injury.

Montgomery has been the healthiest of the trio in the last two years but he missed most of 2018 and 2019 due to Tommy John surgery as well.

Taillon made 29 starts for the Yankees in 2021 but he only made seven starts in 2019 and missed all of 2020 since he had to have flexor tendor surgery.

In 2021, Frankie Montas, who turns 29 next week, made more than 16 starts in the majors for the first time in his 4+ year career. In 32 starts, he went 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA and FIP, a 121 ERA+, a 1.182 WHIP, and he struck out 10 and walked 2.7 batters per nine innings. He came in 6th in AL Cy Young Award voting.

Manaea, 30, was out for shoulder surgery himself for the end of the 2018 season and all but 5 starts in 2019. In 2021, he went 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 32 starts with an AL-leading two complete games and an MLB-leading two shutouts. He had a 104 ERA+, a 3.66 FIP, a 1.227 WHIP, and he struck out 9.7 and walked just 2.1 batters per nine innings.

One or both of them would give the Yankees a bit more depth in the rotation and on the pitching staff in general. However, both won’t be freebies on the trade market, especially considering other teams like the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and others are reportedly interested as well.