For a team struggling this badly, there aren’t exactly as many ideal answers as one would expect, but at least a few recent rumors seem to help clarify matters before August and the last stretch. There have also been a handful that seem strange (or would be some real hypocrisy from the Yankees).

There are rumors of two Yankees trades that would be fantastic and one that would not be perfect.
adoration This Conjecture: To the Yankees, Jonathan India

India is supposedly “not going to be available” unless the Reds are eliminated from the playoff race this week. Nonetheless, the Yankees have expressed interest, and they will share some of the blame if a transaction falls through. Ultimately, the Reds’ position on the periphery of the Wild Card competition stems partly from their July opening sweep of the Yankees.

Disgruntled supporters often complain that it is useless to target contact bats and that the Yankees should place more balls in the stands. While that is undoubtedly the case, bringing in a legitimate leadoff hitter ahead of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge would be beneficial as opposed to the team’s current dreck, who is ranked 27th in MLB at that position. India has some power (he blasted 21 home runs in his Rookie of the Year campaign and 17 in 2023), but his greatest strength is in his OBP; last summer, he paired a.275 average with a.377 on-base percentage.

He’s a brilliant ballplayer who never chases (99th percentile), a walk-taker (94th percentile) with a sharp eye, and a winning ballplayer who would give the Yankees a healthy dose of peskiness. Between now and the deadline, all that’s left to do is support the Reds fervently.

Love This Rumor: The Yankees will get Jack Flaherty

With Clarke Schmidt expected to return sometime, the Yankees may not think they need a starting pitcher, but pitching is something you can never have too much of. In current seller’s market, the price of any trade will go up, but it’s easier to get a rental than to add a top-line arm like Garrett Crochet for several seasons.

The Yankees should take Chris Kirschner’s suggestion and give a rejuvenated Jack Flaherty two months to prove a resilient substitute for Crochet, who may be shut down or moved to the bullpen by the end of the summer, rather than mortgaging Spencer Jones at his lowest point.

Flaherty, 28, has pitched relatively perfectly this season (2.5 bWAR, 127 strikeouts in 100.2 innings, and a penchant for paint), yet there are injury concerns surrounding him. A reasonably priced, two-month free agency tryout period would be a beneficial shake-up.

Dislike This Rumor: Jazz Chisholm Will Avoid The Yankees Due To His “Character Concerns”

Not at all! Not his locker room presence, but his league-average bat should be what keeps him away from the Yankees! Just kidding. Sort of.

In the dead of summer, Chisholm was a highly anticipated trade arrival who possessed far more confidence than his 103 OPS+ would seem to suggest. Although he seems like a player who may step up in an instant, he is more of a risk than a guarantee.

The deal might be more tempting if the Yankees could include a reliever.This week, Robert Murray of The Baseball Insiders reaffirmed that although organizations have previously expressed reservations about Chisholm as a teammate, he is apparently having a better year in that regard. Though it feels a bit rich for the Yankees to float such things after hiding Aroldis Chapman and letting Domingo Germán virtually tear apart their clubhouse, it’s a legitimate issue, particularly for a guy whose production doesn’t match his reputation.

There’s also a chance that the Jameson Taillon reunion rumor fits in here. Even if Taillon continues to progress, it doesn’t quite pass the smell test that the Yankees are ready to spend $18 million over the next two years after passing on two pricey hypothetical prime years of the same player in the 2023 summer.

Obviously, nobody wants him to succeed in Boston either, so until deadline purgatory ends, we’re trapped in a gray area.