MLB rumors: Yankees' trade offer for Astros' Kyle Tucker is 'crap'
12/12/2024 08:44 PM
The New York Yankees cannot replace Juan Soto with one player, but they have the power to become an even better team on paper than they were with the five-time Silver Slugger. Fresh off signing left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried to a massive contract, longtime general manager Brian Cashman is in trade talks with an unlikely team and consistent October nuisance, the Houston Astros.
Two-way game-changer Kyle Tucker would go a long way toward placating restless Yankees fans following Soto’s free agency defection to the New York Mets. The problem, though, is that New York is reportedly not close to meeting the Astros’ demands for the three-time All-Star outfielder.
"I talked to someone with the Astros' front office and was told the Yankees didn't offer anything the Astros wanted," an anonymous source told NJ.com’s Randy Miller. "Nothing. They think the Yankees have offered crap." Considering Steve Cohen just outbid Hal Steinbrenner for the best available talent, the idea that Cashman is low-balling GM Dana Brown and the Astros will not sit well with The Bronx.
Will the Yankees compromise with the Astros?
Assuming the Yankees are not offering top prospects as this source claims, discussions may fail to progress any further. Tucker is a former Gold Glove winner who would have hit 30 home runs for the third time in four seasons had he not missed three months with a shin injury in 2024. He is also a .274 career hitter, satisfying a batting average issue that often plagues Aaron Boone’s ballclub. To summarize, New York is not going to be able to fleece Houston for this guy.
High-level right fielders are not acquired without a big sacrifice. The Astros have their eye on American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, but Cashman is hesitant to part with the 26-year-old right-hander. Fried’s arrival might not be enough to persuade him into trading one of his starting pitchers, especially one with Gil’s promise.
However, adding Kyle Tucker could guarantee that the Yankees enter 2025 with another dazzling duo in the lineup. The franchise is still in win-now mode and must determine how it can most optimally return to the World Series next season. Completing a deal for another versatile one-year rental might offer New York such a path.
But it sounds like there are several more conversations to be had before a blockbuster trade between the Yankees and Astros can take place. Stay tuned.
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