Yankees Rumors: NY Eyes Blue Jays RHP Chad Green Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVJuly 23, 2024

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The New York Yankees are reportedly interested in bringing back a familiar face ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Tuesday that the American League East team is interested in Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Chad Green, who pitched for the Yankees for seven seasons from 2016 through 2022.

Morosi highlighted a number of reasons the Yankees may look to trade for Green, including his popularity during his first stint with the team and the versatility to both close or pitch in high-leverage situations earlier in the game out of the bullpen.

He also wouldn’t be a rental player, as he is under team control through the 2025 campaign and could help in the team’s pursuit of the next two World Series titles.

Green has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for the last-place Blue Jays with a 1.88 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 24 strikeouts and seven saves in 28 appearances. That is already a career-best total for saves, and his ERA would be the second-lowest mark of his career behind the 1.83 he posted in 2017 for the Yankees.

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports and John Coppolella of Yahoo Sports highlighted additional bullpen help and depth as an area of need for New York with the trade deadline approaching.

Acquiring Green would help address that need and take away from a division rival it still has to face later this season.

He would also provide another effective late-innings option alongside Clay Holmes, which would help manager Aaron Boone shorten games if the Yankees do make the playoffs.

New York is in second place in the American League East and 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. It also holds the top AL wild-card spot and is safely in the postseason picture, although it is just 11-21 in the last 32 games and struggled heading into the All-Star break.

A successful trade deadline could help turn that momentum around, and Green would be a valuable addition for the bullpen.