“New Yankees Trade Signals a Glimpse into the Future with New York”

“New Yankees Trade Signals a Glimpse into the Future with New York”

“Right-hander Keynan Middleton was one of the few additions the Yankees made at this year’s trade deadline. Despite the team falling short of the postseason with an 82-80 record, Middleton made an impact, excelling in 14 1/3 innings of work after his mid-season trade from the White Sox. As a Yankee, he boasted an impressive 1.88 ERA with a solid 3.26 FIP, contributing to his overall season statistics of a 3.38 ERA and a respectable 4.20 FIP over 50 2/3 innings between Chicago and New York.

Although Middleton is set to become a free agent next month, there’s potential for a continued partnership between Middleton and the Yankees. Middleton expressed his positive sentiments about his time in the Bronx, stating that there aren’t “too many other places” he’s considering in free agency. He added, “After being here, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to be here… I’d love to come back here, but we’ll see what happens.”

While the Yankees had a strong bullpen this season, with right-hander Michael King expected to transition to a starting role in 2024 after a dominant year primarily in relief, it’s conceivable that the Yankees may seek to fortify their relief corps during the offseason. Middleton is likely to depart, along with lefty relief arm Wandy Peralta, and starters Luis Severino and Frankie Montas, as they enter free agency.

In other news from the AL East…

Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander has frequently been the subject of trade speculation due to his consistent and quality performance in the outfield during the club’s rebuilding phase. Despite the Orioles’ breakthrough season with 101 wins that took them to the postseason for the first time since 2016, trade rumors surrounding Santander are expected to persist into his final arbitration-eligible offseason. With Santander’s expected hefty salary in 2024 (projected at $12.7 million by MLBTR’s Matt Swartz), he could once again be a topic of trade discussions in the offseason. The Marlins are mentioned as a team with a particular interest in his services.

The Red Sox are widely rumored to be active in the trade market this offseason as they aim to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the AL East. The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey suggests in a recent mailbag that many of the club’s prospects could be made available as they seek to improve in 2024. Only shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony, and catcher Kyle Teel are perceived as untouchable, although this perception may change with the hiring of a new head of baseball operations to replace Chaim Bloom, who was let go by the club last month.”