The New York Yankees don’t have many obvious weaknesses, but they’re still looking to upgrade before the trade deadline. One area they’re eyeing is the bullpen, where Michael Kopech of the White Sox, who transitioned to relief this season and has been impressive with a 13.2 K/9 rate, has caught their attention.
The Yankees, along with the Phillies and Royals, have been scouting Kopech. Despite occasional command issues, his ability to generate strikeouts could be a valuable addition to a bullpen that sometimes struggles in that department.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees are optimistic about their internal options to strengthen first and second base, even if Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo continue to struggle offensively. Torres, in particular, has shown improvement with an .808 OPS over his last 30 games.
This stance suggests that the Yankees may not pursue big-name targets like Pete Alonso, instead focusing on bolstering their bullpen and possibly starting pitching as the trade deadline approaches. This strategy aligns with their recent interest in pitchers like Kopech, as reported by Heyman.
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In another article from MLB’s Jason Foster, attention is drawn to Aaron Judge’s impressive season and his potential to reach 400 total bases, a mark achieved by only a handful of players in a season. Judge is currently on pace for 397 total bases, and Foster discusses what he needs to do to surpass the 400 mark.
Lastly, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports unfortunate news about Yankees outfield prospect Everson Pereira, who will undergo Tommy John surgery for a second consecutive season. Despite struggling in his brief major league stint in 2023, Pereira was seen as a promising option for the Yankees’ outfield depth.
