The New York Yankees are clear trade deadline buyers, so they’re taking stock of potential sellers right now with just over a month to go.
And when a team is 18-63 on Jun. 27, they’d be foolish not to sell.
If there are any Colorado Rockies players the Yankees feel are worth bringing to the Bronx, they shouldn’t hesitate to make a phone call out west. And make no mistake, there are a couple of Rockies who could be impact guys on contending teams.
Jake Bird, who will likely be the Rockies’ lone representative at the All-Star Game next month, is going to be a big addition for a team this summer (if he’s moved). The 29-year-old righty has a 2.62 ERA in 44 2/3 innings, racking up 56 strikeouts.
On Wednesday, Empire Sports Media’s Ryan Garcia named Bird as a top prospective target to improve the Yankees’ bullpen ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.
“If the Yankees were to acquire Jake Bird, the Yankees would have three more years of control after the 2025 season, and his ability to eat up multiple innings of work make him a versatile bullpen weapon,” Garcia wrote.
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“The right-hander has been brilliant despite pitching in harsh conditions at Coors Field with an abhorrent defense behind him… His fastball doesn’t have overpowering velocity, but with 30.3 inches of vertical drop, it’s a tough pitch to lift or generate solid contact against.”
Bird is struggling on the road this season, with a 4.12 ERA away from Coors and a 1.44 ERA at home. But it’s entirely excusable to struggle with either one or the other because of how differently pitches behave.
Plus, he’s been equally effective against both left and right-handed batters, and he can give you multiple innings in an outing.
The Yankees would be fortunate to add Bird, but figuring out which relievers will go where is always a tricky proposition.
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