Yankees 6-player mock trade to land perfect superstar upgrade

12/12/2024 10:38 AM

The New York Yankees are reportedly in the mix for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, whom the Houston Astros are listening to offers on. It seems that their immediate pivot from nearly signing Christian Walker and their recent reports of increased interest would indicate that they have a real shot to land the star outfielder, but it will require a hefty package to convince a rival AL team to make that deal. The Yankees don’t have the deepest farm system, but they have some pieces that could entice the Astros’ front office, and I think they can pull this off.

It’s unclear who the Astros truly value and what would truly get a deal done, but I think this six-player mock trade can bring Kyle Tucker’s dynamic game to the Bronx.

Yankees-Astros Blockbuster Trade That Puts New York Over the Edge

Kyle Tucker is one of the very best players in the sport, and the Yankees should be hyper-aggressive in their pursuit of acquiring his services. Overpaying for one year of Tucker is better than not having him; the gamble they took on Juan Soto worked out brilliantly as the team was able to go to the World Series and come a few plays away from potentially squeaking out their first World Series title since 2009.

With a 145 wRC+ since 2022, Tucker has been the eighth-best qualified hitter in the sport, and the Yankees could use that kind of left-handed bat alongside Aaron Judge to give them a dynamic 1-2 punch. His defense in the corner outfield would help in left field as well, pushing Jasson Dominguez to center field where he’s more comfortable, and sliding Aaron Judge over to right field where he’s been one of the best defensive players in the sport.

Last season the Yankees had -5 DRS, -12 OAA, and -1 FRV in the outfield as a whole, and their best defender of the group hit free agency. Tucker would fill an offensive hole and a defensive one, but I’d be hard-pressed to believe that you need more reasons to want him on the Yankees. The Astros are in a unique situation; losing Bregman and Tucker in the same winter would put them in a difficult situation, and they’d likely want some offensive security and rotation help.

Any deal is going to start with Luis Gil it seems, but the Yankees have some position players and MiLB arms that could draw the interest of the Houston Astros. They’ll trade four players in this deal, all of whom have either made the Major Leagues or are a top-15 prospect in the organization universally.

• Luis Gil
• Ben Rice
• George Lombard Jr. (#3 on MLB Pipeline)
• Chase Hampton (#6 on MLB Pipeline)

READ MORE: Yankees battling with 3 teams to trade for Astros star outfielder

The Astros would be getting a cost-controlled middle-of-the-rotation starter who can miss bats and has five years of club control with Luis Gil, whom they covet according to Joel Sherman of The Athletic. As for Ben Rice, he’s a cheap first-base option for an Astros’ team that doesn’t have many internal candidates to fill out the role for them. The market has some good first basemen, but its unclear if Houston is interested in spending north of $20 million a year on either Christian Walker or Pete Alonso.

Going after Rice would give them an internal solution, and more important allow for the Astros to focus their efforts on potentially replacing Alex Bregman, who could depart in free agency. On the prospect side, the Yankees are trading two of their best prospects in George Lombard Jr. and Chase Hampton, and while Lombard Jr. isn’t going to be MLB-ready for quite sometime, he’s someone the Astros also view highly. Hampton is coming off of an injury-riddled 2024 season but could make his Major League debut in 2025, possessing a riding fastball, excellent sweeper, and hammer curveball.

A natural supinator with good vertical movement on his fastball, he fits the Astros’ pitching philosophy perfectly, and could be a starter or reliever for them. In return the Yankees won’t just be getting back Kyle Tucker, but they’ll also absorb the $14 million owed to reliever Ryan Pressly, whom the Astros are reportedly shopping. He’s in the decline but can still miss some bats and keep the ball on the ground; it feels like an expensive way to help address the middle-innings for the bullpen.

In this deal, the Astros are getting the AL Rookie of the Year, two prospects who have top-100 talent, a first baseman who displayed tons of promise in his brief time in the Major Leagues, and are freeing up $30 million.

The Yankees would be making an important trade that helps them land one of the best outfielders in the game, and while Kyle Tucker can’t replace Juan Soto, he comes pretty close. It’s a lot to trade for a rental, but the Yankees should be prepared to offer the star outfielder a megadeal that ensures his services will remain in the Bronx for years to come. I would immediately present Tucker with a 11-year $440 million deal, which would net him the same AAV as Aaron Judge ($40 million) over the next decade.

As for Ryan Pressly, if he’s bad and completely crashes after a stepback in 2024, then you can just cut him loose and bring up a prospect who can fill out a bullpen spot. The main thing here is getting Kyle Tucker; hand him an insane amount of money and make sure he never plays for another team again. The outfield is locked up for at least six years, the infield becomes the team’s focus, and the Yankees can avoid trading more picks to get a free agent with the Qualifying Offer attached to them.