The Yankees Need To Go Get Sonny Gray Right Now
GET ME THIS MAN. The rumors are heating up for the Oakland A’s stud and the Yankees continue to be at the height of all talks. It looks like the A’s are zeroed in on 19 year old “phenom” Estevan Florial as the center piece of this trade and I have a few thoughts about that.
First of all, I understand that we’re thinking about the future of this team way passed 2017 when talking any types of trades. Dealing Blake Rutherford and Estevan Florial in a week’s time is not the best look for a team that has recently prided themselves in stockpiling their rich farm system. It would appear to be a flashback to the old Yankees who could buy any player they want for the current team, and worry about the future later on. That would certainly be the case here if the Yankees outfield of the future wasn’t already stacked to the max. There’s simply no concrete role for Florial on the major league team in the foreseeable future. For starters, he’s 19 and in Single A Charleston. He won’t be ready for the big leagues for at least two full seasons, and that’s probably too soon.
Clint Frazier at the moment is the left fielder of the future while Judge has locked up right field obviously. There’s a guy in Washington right now who we’re reserving center field for and if that falls through, we have Dustin Fowler as a solid backup plan. If Fowler can’t make a full recovery from his traumatic knee injury then there is always the option to go get another center fielder when the times comes. What I’m getting at is that Florial is very expendable at the moment for the right guy. Sonny Gray is that guy…
I’ve blogged and tweeted about Sonny Gray multiple times and it’s pretty obvious I’m a huge fan. He’s under team control for two more years after 2017 and he’s only 27. He’s currently a bonafide number two on any team with the potential of being an ace. After a rocky beginning to his season, he’s pitched fantastic over his last five starts…
A down the stretch/playoff rotation with Severino and Gray leading the way is a dynamic one-two punch. Follow those guys with Sabathia and Tanaka/Montgomery and you have a pretty solid rotation. Unfortunately Chance Adams innings limit and lack of development of his change-up seem to be impossible hurdles to tackle in order to promote him.
With that in mind, the Yankees absolutely need to go get a viable starting pitcher to avoid pitching Cessa, Caleb Smith or Mitchell every fifth day. If the cost is Mateo and Acevedo you have to do it. If it’s Florial and Acevedo I still think you do it. People who get scared away by Gray’s injury history are being a little too pre-cautious. It’s not like he’s had Tommy John surgery recently or any major injury for that matter. He had a forearm strain last year that he re-aggravated which really put a damper on the season. This year he opened the year on the DL with a shoulder strain. Those aren’t major injuries to be concerned about folks. I want him right now. This was Gray’s last start which came against the Rays. He was dominant.
Just like the trade that brought us Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson, this deal will not only help this season, but many seasons to come. It’s time for some Sonny days in the Bronx.