Reports: Yankees Could Trade Brett Gardner Or Ichiro Suzuki This Week
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With the additions of Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury, the Yankees have a surplus of outfielders.
So could a trade be in the works? As it currently stands, outfielders Beltran, Ellsbury, Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki, Brett Gardner and Vernon Wells are on the club's roster.
But by week's end, either Gardner or Ichiro could have new homes.
According to Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger, the Yanks would be willing to trade Gardner in the right deal.
General manager Brian Cashman has acknowledged that teams have reached out to him about the 30-year-old speedster, but his preference is to hold onto the center fielder.
"I'm not looking to move him," Cashman said, according to USA Today Sports. "But when asked, have people called, absolutely they've called."
Ichiro is another trade candidate, according to the newspaper. Now 40 years old, the 10-time All-Star is not nearly the player he once was. The 2001 American League MVP -- who is destined for a bench role if the Yankees don't move him -- batted just .262 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 150 games for New York in 2013. He posted an incredibly low .297 on-base percentage and stole 20 bases.
Gardner is much more of an impact player, and it comes as no surprise that teams have significant interest in acquiring him. The sixth-year player plays terrific defense and batted .273 with eight homers and 52 RBIs for the Bombers last season. He got on base at a .344 clip and stole 24 bases in 145 games.
New York also has some interest in bringing left fielder/designated hitter Raúl Ibañez back to the Bronx, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Ibañez, 41, played for the Yankees in 2012.
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