Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees have had a whirlwind of a 2024 MLB season so far, as the team started out red hot and then stumbled before the All-Star break, finishing that stretch 9-18 heading into the second half of the year. While Judge continues to perform at an elite level two years after breaking the AL home run record, the Yankees are hoping for a deep postseason push this season after missing out on the big dance.

Despite the recent turmoil, New York is still in decent position to do just that, as the team is currently 18 games over the .500 mark with a record of 59-41 and sitting in second place in the American League East.

Still, that isn't stopping general manager Brian Cashman from looking for ways to improve the team ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and it seems that the Yankees and Boston Red Sox are renewing their rivalry in pursuit of the same pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.

“The Boston Red Sox and Yankees have had talks with the Chicago Cubs about starter Jameson Taillon, but the Cubs are undecided whether they will be buyers or sellers,” reported MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

Taillon has indeed been impressive thus far on the 2024 campaign for a floundering Cubs squad that in theory may be looking to unload some of its veteran talent for future assets but apparently has not made up its mind just yet.

A pressure-filled season

New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) hits an RBI single in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

As previously mentioned, there is a lot of pressure on the Yankees this year to go on a deep foray into the MLB postseason after missing out on it entirely a season ago.

New York is still looking for its first championship of the judge era, and apparently, knowing is putting more pressure on the team than the Yankees themselves at this year's trade deadline to get something done.

Nightengale noted that the Yankees “need to play at least late into October or will consider the season a waste of time.”

New York has had mixed results coming out of the All Star break so far, as the team split its first two games with the Tampa Bay Rays, another solid team in the AL and a previous playoff opponent of New York, ahead of Sunday afternoon's Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.

In any case, the MLB trade deadline is set for July 30, and it looks like New York could look a whole lot different by the time that date rolls around