New York Yankees interested in adding All-Star first baseman after Anthony Rizzo injury scary
The New York Yankees hoped to have Anthony Rizzo as their full-time first baseman this season, but now that the 34-year-old suffered a forearm fracture, the Bronx Bombers need to make other plans. Rizzo is expected to miss roughly two months with his injury, and while 25-year-old prospect Ben Rice can fill in as much as possible, the Yankees want to bring in a contingency plan too.
While it’s never fun to lose a talented player to injury, the Yankees do at least have plenty of time to try filling the void at first base. The MLB trade deadline doesn’t arrive until July 30. There are several options available. Yet, there’s some belief that the Yankees could try another method to improve the roster.
According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Yankees are one of several teams considering signing former All-Star first baseman Garrett Cooper. The 33-year-old recently became a free agent after being released by the Boston Red Sox following a tumultuous tenure, where Cooper was hitting just .171 across 24 games.
However, Cooper did get off to a much stronger start to his season when he was with the Cubs, hitting .270 across his first 12 games. Despite a respectable battling line, the Cubs ended up trading Cooper to Boston in an effort to increase playing time for Michael Busch and Mike Tauchman.
In addition to his normal duties at first base, Cooper can also handle right field if needed. Either way, the 6-foot-5 slugger could bring another potentially dangerous bat to the Yankees’ lineup at a time of need.
The New York Yankees roster has take some hits in recent weeks, with Anthony Rizzo becoming the latest to join the injured list. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, New York is reportedly keeping a close eye on one of the top MLB trade candidates this summer.
New York could go in a variety of directions at the MLB trade deadline. Recent Yankees rumors have connected the front office to deals for a third baseman, first baseman, starting pitcher or reliever. While it’s very likely that the club addresses multiple positions, one in particular is the most intriguing
Entering MLB games today, Yankees’ starting pitchers rank second in ERA (3.01) and they collectively lead the majors in wins (36). Much of the success came without Gerrit Cole, with the Cy Young Award winner only recently joining the Yankees rotation after opening the year on the IL.
However, with the MLB trade deadline nearing, New York seems to be showing a real interest in the trade market of starting pitchers with one particular arm on their radar.
Crochet is a particularly intriguing fit for the Yankees. New York had already reportedly planned to protect starting pitcher Luis Gil, limiting his number of starts in the second half of the season as he’s already worked up a heavy workload.
