Merrill Kelly Trade? Yankees-Diamondbacks Deadline Rumors Heating Up

The New York Yankees desperately need to add to their starting pitching rotation before the trade deadline.

Luis Gil hasn’t played due to an injury. Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are out for the season due to elbow injuries. The Bronx Bombers have been forced to turn to unproven options, and it’s going to be their downfall if it’s not fixed this year.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield recently listed the Yankees as a potential fit for Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly in a trade ahead of the deadline.

“Kelly might be viewed as more of a grind-it-out innings eater, but that feels like a bit of a disservice to his ability, especially since he’s pitching well with a 2.56 ERA over his past 10 starts, lowering his season ERA to 3.22,” Schoenfield wrote. “After getting knocked out early in his second start of the season, he has gone at least five innings in every start since then, usually going six or seven.

“His superlative work in the 2023 postseason (2.25 ERA across four starts) is another reason he’s a fit with any contender.”

Kelly would be the perfect addition for the Yankees. He wouldn’t cost a king’s ransom to acquire, but he would give the Yankees the rotation stability they need while Schmidt, Gil, and Cole are out with injuries.

Kelly has been excellent this year and it doesn’t seem like he’s going to fall off at any point. With the starting pitching market beginning to dwindle a bit, the Yankees need to make their move. Kelly would be the perfect addition.

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