The New York Yankees are currently in second place in the American League East. New York is looking to upgrade the roster ahead of the trade deadline, and two Chicago Cubs players are being linked to the ball club, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

“The Cubs are another potential Yankees trade partner. Nico Hoerner and Mike Tauchman lead the Cubs in starts at the leadoff spot. Either would upgrade the Yankees' lineup. Tauchman played for NYY in '19, '20 and '21. CHC & NYY have been regular trade partners: Effross '22, Rizzo '21, Chapman '16, Castro '15, Soriano '13,” Morosi wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

As Morosi mentioned, the Yankees and Cubs have been consistent trade partners in the past. That is an underlying element of a potential deal to consider. New York could use players such as Hoerner and Tauchman on the roster.

Hoerner provides versatility and features an intriguing ceiling. Tauchman, meanwhile, would give the Yankees a depth outfield piece. Additionally, he previously played for the Yankees.

New York could certainly use an offensive boost. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are superstars but adding more bats around them would strengthen the overall lineup.

Yankees' offensive concerns

Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton are among the injured Yankees players. The rest of the healthy position players, aside from Judge and Soto, have struggled for the most part at the plate.

Alex Verdugo has yet to find his swing in New York. Anthony Volpe has displayed signs of stardom but has not been able to develop offensive consistency. DJ LeMahieu does not look like the player he once was.

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New York's pitching has performed well, but the offense needs some upgrades. Tauchman wouldn't be a game-changing addition, but Hoerner is a player who could become part of the Yankees' long-term vision.

The 27-year-old recorded quality offensive statistics in 2022 and 2023 and won a Gold Glove Award during the '23 campaign. He has not swung the bat as well in 2024, but he features offensive upside. Hoerner can also cause havoc on the base paths as evidenced by his 43 stolen bases in 2023 and 14 stolen bases so far in 2024.

The Yankees will likely make some additions ahead of the trade deadline. Perhaps New York and Chicago will agree to a deal for Hoerner or Tauchman.