Clearly, the 2025 New York Yankees can hit. Can they pitch enough to remain in World Series contention?
This weekend was a microcosm of the Yankees' season. Aaron Judge and Ben Rice were smashing the ball all over the yard, but New York couldn't pick up the sweep because they allowed 11 runs to the Athletics on Saturday.
Though Saturday's loss was mostly on the bullpen, New York's rotation is so short-handed that the bullpen has already been overtaxed on May 12. At some point before the Jul. 31 trade deadline, they've got to find a suitable mid-rotation starter who can give them some length.
One baseball writer believes that could mean a reunion with a pitcher who gave Yankees fans fits in 2021.
On Monday, Sam Bernardi of Heavy proposed a one-for-one swap that would net the Yankees Pittsburgh Pirates starter Andrew Heaney in exchange for middle infield prospect Jorbit Vivas, who is currently the team's fill-in at second base for Jazz Chisholm Jr.
"Heaney is on an expiring contract and at 34 years old, should not require too steep a price. Pittsburgh has grown infamous for letting elite pitchers slip through their fingers, and while Heaney is not on Gerrit Cole or Tyler Glasnow’s level, he could be the next to depart," Bernardi wrote.
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"Vivas may not be enough for Heaney straight up, but he is still a young infielder with defensive versatility and is already earning at-bats for New York. The New York Yankees already have enough middle infielders and would be wise to sacrifice some future for the present."
Heaney, 33, was awful for the Yankees when he came over in a deadline deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021, posting a 7.32 ERA in 12 outings. But he's been generally reliable since then, he won a World Series in 2023 with the Texas Rangers, and 2025 is improbably shaping up to be his best year yet.
With a 3.15 ERA and 1.0 bWAR through eight starts, Heaney suddenly looks like one of the more desirable names in a shallow trade pool this summer. He's on a cheap $5.25 million contract and would be a tempting piece for New York to consider.
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