BREAKING: $16 Million Yankees shocking Trade Deadline at 2024
The New York Yankees may have lost their series finale against the San Diego Padres on May 26, but they remain one of baseball’s top teams. With a strong 37-18 record, they hold a two-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. As the July 30 trade deadline approaches, the Yankees are expected to make moves to strengthen their roster. One potential target is Miami Marlins slugger Josh Bell
Dylan Sanders of Sports Illustrated suggests that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman should consider pursuing Bell, especially since his performance has improved after a slow start. Bell, a left-handed hitter, has a batting line of .228/.311/.355 over 223 plate appearances in 2024, but his numbers have improved to .296/.370/.457 in 92 May plate appearances.
Bell is in the second year of a two-year, $33 million contract, earning $16.5 million this season, according to Spotrac. Due to his inconsistent offensive production over the years, Sanders believes Bell could be acquired for a reasonable price, making him a “value option” for teams in need.
Bell Was Linked to the Yankees Earlier This Season
Miami’s poor 6-24 start to 2024 has positioned them as early-season sellers. In contrast, New York has faced inconsistent production from Anthony Rizzo, who has a .697 OPS over his first 221 plate appearances. Adding another power bat who can play first base might be a prudent move for the Yankees.
Josh Bell has already been linked to the Yankees this season. On April 17, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report identified the Yankees as one of Bell’s “ideal landing spots,” noting that he could be a good fit if Rizzo or Giancarlo Stanton don’t improve.
Stanton’s performance has been on the rise, with a .797 OPS, 13 home runs, and 29 RBIs in 187 plate appearances this season. However, Rizzo’s monthly OPS has declined from .737 in March/April to .636 in May over 90 plate appearances.
Getting Traded at the Deadline Would Be Nothing New for Bell
Being traded is probably a strange experience for any player, and this strangeness likely intensifies when it happens midseason. For Josh Bell, however, it’s become a familiar scenario over the past couple of years.
Since the start of 2022, Bell has played for four different teams, being traded at each of the last two trade deadlines. He moved from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 deadline. After signing with the Cleveland Guardians that winter, he was traded to the Miami Marlins before the 2023 deadline.
Bell’s performance has varied significantly with each move. He hit .301/.384/.493 with the Nationals before struggling with the Padres, slashing just .192/.316/.271. The following year, his OPS was .701 with the Guardians but improved to .818 with the Marlins down the stretch.
It’s difficult to say whether these fluctuations are due to the inherent unpredictability of baseball or if Bell has learned to adapt after his first trade in 2022. He might get another opportunity to test these theories this season, as a trade could once again be on the horizon. Wherever he goes, it seems likely that he’ll need to find yet another new home before Opening Day in 2025.