The New York Yankees enter the MLB All-Star break with a 58-40 record, just one game behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the American League East. With the trade deadline approaching, the Yankees could find a way to make a splash and get even better as they make a push for the AL pennant.
There are plenty of names tied to the Yankees on the trade market, but one very interesting name appeared: Oakland Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker. Rooker's name popped up as a target from Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
However, the question is, where would he play given the abundance of outfielders the Yankees have? Here's what Kirschner wrote:
‘“Where would he play?” That’s the likely comment fans would make if the Yankees traded for Rooker. The answer should be: “Does it matter?” When a player has around a .900 OPS, he needs to find his way into the lineup, and it’s on the manager to make it happen. The likeliest place Rooker would play if he were on the Yankees is left field. Alex Verdugo is not good enough offensively to be an everyday player. They could easily split time in the outfield. Also, as mentioned above, there should be some caution in assuming Stanton will once again produce at his pre-injury level, so at-bats at designated hitter could be an option.'
Rooker is almost certainly going to be dealt at the deadline since the Athletics figure to be in sell-mode: “He’s a pre-arbitration player, but he’s 29 years old. Given his age and the A’s desire to get younger, it’s possible they could move him and capitalize on his productivity,” Kirschner wrote. There are other options for New York, but adding Brent Rooker to the lineup is a fun idea.
The Brent Rooker to Yankees buzz is interesting
Rooker bounced around the MLB before finding a home and consistent playing time with the Athletics. In 2023, he hit .246 with 30 home runs and 69 RBI. In 2024, he is hitting .291 with 21 home runs and 62 RBI, so he is well on pace to shatter those numbers across the board.
Rooker made the All-Star Game in 2023 with solid numbers and he is expected to be one of the more popular names linked ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. Other teams that could target Rooker include the Philadelphia Phillies, and teams such as the San Diego Padres also expect to be active on the trade front in general (although Rooker might not be a hit in San Diego).
The Yankees currently have an outfield consisting of Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham with Aaron Judge at DH. Grisham plays terrific defense but has struggled at the plate, although Kirschner mentions that Rooker's best fit in New York could be in left field taking over for Verdugo.
Nonetheless, Athletics star Brent Rooker even being linked to the Yankees is certainly an interesting landing spot, and a blockbuster move such as that could make them the favorites in the American League.
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