The New York Yankees are staring down the trade deadline with urgency after losing Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt to Tommy John surgery.
Brian Cashman has made it clear the front office won’t be sitting back — and multiple insiders expect a major swing.
If the Yankees want to stay in contention and solidify their World Series hopes, this is their moment to act decisively.
With the right combination of targets, they could patch key holes without sacrificing their top-tier prospects in the process.
A bold yet calculated three-player deadline plan could make the Yankees postseason-ready across the board.
Eugenio Suarez adds immediate thunder to the lineup
There’s no denying that Eugenio Suarez would inject instant power into a Yankees lineup that’s lacked consistency at third base.
Suarez has already mashed 31 homers this season and owns a robust .889 OPS — numbers worthy of a middle-of-the-order bat.
He thrives pulling the ball to left field, which plays perfectly into Yankee Stadium’s short porch and overall dimensions.
Suarez would likely cost a few decent prospects, but not any of the Yankees’ crown jewels due to his expiring contract.
He’s the type of slugger who could carry an offense through a cold stretch or steal a postseason game with one swing.
Seth Lugo brings veteran poise and playoff composure
On the pitching side, the Yankees need a starter they can count on — and Seth Lugo fits that bill at just the right time.
Lugo, now 35, holds a 2.67 ERA over 101 innings and has pitched in playoff pressure, making him an ideal deadline target.
His advanced metrics aren’t flawless, but his pitch mix and composure offer stability the Yankees desperately need.
With both Cole and Schmidt sidelined, Lugo becomes more than just a depth piece — he’s a critical second-half rotation anchor.
The Yankees wouldn’t have to break the bank to acquire him from Kansas City, which makes the fit even more appealing.
Jake Bird could quietly become a bullpen gem
Every contender needs one under-the-radar bullpen addition — and Jake Bird fits the mold as a quietly effective right-hander.
Bird has a 3.60 ERA across 49.2 innings this season for Colorado, but the surface numbers don’t tell the whole story.
He’s striking out 27.4% of hitters and ranks above average in exit velocity, chase rate, and whiff rate.
Those numbers are even more impressive considering he’s pitching at altitude with one of baseball’s worst defensive units.
Bird is under team control through 2029, giving the Yankees multiple years to maximize his potential beyond just this run.
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The Yankees can win big without overspending
This three-player strategy gives the Yankees everything they need — power, rotation depth, and a controllable bullpen upgrade.
Suarez and Lugo bring win-now firepower, while Bird offers cost-controlled value that could blossom in a better environment.
These moves wouldn’t require sacrificing names like George Lombard Jr. or Jasson Dominguez, preserving the long-term vision.
With October looming and the roster needing reinforcements, this kind of aggressive but measured deadline could be the difference.
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