Daily Report – 7/8/25

Jul 8

Here is today’s report:

Yankees

The Yankees dropped two of three games in Flushing this weekend, splitting the regular season’s Subway Series with the Mets. If it wasn’t enough to get swept by Toronto last week, lose the second leg of the Subway Series, and fall 3.5 games out of the American League East lead, Clarke Schmidt is now expected to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

The biggest question for the Yankees now is about where their trade deadline priorities lie. I believe Clarke Schmidt’s injury necessitates the need for a star-caliber right-handed starting pitcher, especially because the Yankees’ pitching injuries also affect next season. However, with Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s return to second base, the Yankees also need a third baseman. Furthermore, relief pitching depth is needed in the Bronx, especially left-handed relievers.

The 2025 Yankees’ rotation was supposed to have Gerrit Cole and Max Fried at the helm, with Carlos Rodón listed third, Luis Gil fourth, and Clarke Schmidt rounding out the order. Two Tommy John surgeries and one lat strain later, the Yankees have found themselves without any of their initial three right-handed starters. It is a testament to the greatest flaws of modern-era baseball that after a career-high 28 shutout innings in June, including a 103-pitch performance on June 21, Schmidt has found himself facing his second career Tommy John surgery.

According to the Yankee Report, since 2021, the number of MLB pitchers placed on the injured list has decreased slightly while the number of days per IL stint has increased. This trend follows a sharp increase in both IL placements and days between 2019 and 2021. While the pandemic is partly to blame for the increase in injuries between 2019 and 2020, the increase in UCL surgeries across the Majors in that time cannot be denied. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of UCL surgeries decreased from 38 to 35, but it rose to 46 after the pitch clock was added in 2023. Since then, the number has hovered over 40 UCL surgeries per season.

With Cam Schlittler scheduled to make his MLB debut tomorrow, here is a look at the Yankees’ depleted rotation:

LHP Max Fried (11-2, 2.27 ERA)
LHP Carlos Rodón (9-6, 3.30 ERA)
RHP Will Warren (5-4, 5.02 ERA)
RHP Marcus Stroman (1-1, 7.45 ERA)
RHP CHECK Cam Schlittler (6-6, 2.82 MiLB ERA)

Here is an up-to-date AGM Sports reliability chart for the Yankees’ bullpen, which has recorded a 5.19 ERA since June 14, baseball’s sixth-worst in that span:

MR: RHP JT Brubaker (9.00 ERA, unreliable)
MR: RHP Scott Effross (6.00 ERA, unreliable)
MR: RHP Geoff Hartlieb (27.00 ERA, unreliable)
MR: RHP Ian Hamilton (3.36 ERA, somewhat reliable)
MR: RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (4.46 ERA, somewhat reliable)
MR: RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (3.80 ERA, somewhat reliable)
LR: LHP Tim Hill (2.45 ERA, somewhat reliable)
SU: RHP Luke Weaver (3.19 ERA, unreliable)
C: RHP Devin Williams (5.01 ERA, reliable)

If the Yankees want to trade for a pitcher like Jacob deGrom, Dylan Cease, or Zac Gallen, they will probably need to surrender a top prospect. Spencer Jones currently holds a 1.032 OPS in the Minors this season, with a .290 average, 20 home runs, and 40 RBI in 57 games. In eight games in Triple-A this season, he is 12-for-32 (.375) with four home runs and a 1.294 OPS. If the Yankees ever want to get a return for Jones, his performance, compounded with the Yankees’ roster holes, suggests this might be the right time to do so.

Another candidate whom the Yankees could trade is pending free agent Trent Grisham, who is expected to earn a career-high salary this offseason, and many don’t believe the Yankees will provide it. Due to the Yankees’ outfield depth, Grisham appears to be the most probable candidate for a trade. As far as the Yankees’ bullpen goes, recent history suggests Brian Cashman will acquire a bullpen arm. Last year, he signed Mark Leiter Jr.; in 2023, he signed Keynan Middleton, in 2022, it was Scott Effross and Lou Trivino, and in 2021, Clay Jones and Joely Rodríguez were sent to the Bronx. I don’t expect the Yankees to acquire any high-leverage relief arms at this deadline, though, especially if they seek a starting pitcher.

At third base, many available candidates can fill the Yankees’ hole. Last week, Jon Heyman reported that Colorado’s Ryan McMahon is the most probable player for the job. However, the Yankees seem to value Arizona’s upcoming free agent Eugenio Suárez the most. He leads Big League third basemen in home runs (28), RBI (74), and OPS (.881). If the Yankees find a way to land Suárez, I expect it to come at the cost of a top prospect and a chance at a top starting pitcher. Other third basemen to keep an eye on are Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes and St. Louis’s Nolan Arenado.

Remember, teams aren’t exactly lining up to help the New York Yankees win their 28th championship. The cost of talent will be especially high for this team. However, the Yankees must understand the significance of this trade deadline because Brian Cashman’s performance will determine how invested he and Hal Steinbrenner are in today’s New York Yankees.

Tonight at 7:05, the Yankees will begin a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners (YES). RHP Will Warren (5-4, 5.02 ERA) seeks a bounce-back performance against RHP Logan Gilbert (2-2, 3.40 ERA), but the main attraction will be Aaron Judge chasing Cal Raleigh for the American League home run lead. Judge has 33 home runs so far this season, while Raleigh leads all of baseball with 35.