Yankees Won't Part With Top Prospects For Phillies' Hamels
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- The New York Yankees are one good stretch -- or one big splash -- from running away with the division. But general manager Brian Cashman has been unwilling to unload his top prospects for a front-line pitcher as the July 31 trading deadline approaches.
The Yankees recently turned down the Philadelphia Phillies, who wanted Triple-A outfielder Aaron Judge or 21-year-old hurler Luis Severino for veteran starter Cole Hamels, according to WFAN and CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman.
"The Phillies' suggestion was a repeat of a request heard several times in talks between those teams," Heyman reported for CBSSports.com. "The Yankees have told all teams that have no intention to trade any of their four best prospects: Severino, Judge, first baseman Greg Bird and shortstop Jorge Mateo."
Hamels (6-7, 3.64 ERA) threw a no-hitter Saturday in what could have been his final game with Philly. He's signed through 2018, with a $20 million team option for 2019.
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The Yankees, who could use rotation help considering the struggles of left-hander CC Sabathia and durability concerns surrounding Ivan Nova, Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda coming off injuries, have also shown interest in Cincinnati's Mike Leake and Jeff Samardzija of the Chicago White Sox, according to Heyman.
Last week on WFAN radio, Cashman said he would be "open-minded to everything, anything," indicating that he would consider trading blue-chip prospects if the right deal presents itself.
"I've been doing this for a long time and I do recognize that prospects are (suspect)," Cashman said. "So I don't think anybody should be untouchable. I've always maintained that some guys are harder to move than others. I won't say that I'm conservative GM; I'm a very aggressive GM. It would be hard for me to do anything there, but I'm going to be open-minded to it."
"I'm going to predict I'm going to kick the tires on a lot of things, but I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't do anything there," he added.
Detroit left-hander David Price (9-3, 2.31 ERA), who once said he'd never sign with the Yankees because of the team's facial-hair policy, could change everything if the Tigers opt to make him available as a half-season rental.
"If the right circumstance exists, I will certainly make recommendations (to ownership)," Cashman told WFAN. "Why not make any aspect of the club better? But, again, last year at the trade deadline I felt a lot of things worked out the way we hoped. A lot of times it involved patience and our needs and somebody else's needs matched up on a number of different discussions. But those are rare. So if that happens and goes our way, listen, I will be very aggressive. I'd rather hope for it, but I don't expect it."
The Yankees (55-42) are on a 14-5 run in July and appear poised to end a two-year postseason drought with a 6 1/2 game lead in the AL East.
