The New York Yankees (32-25) lead the AL East and their offense is one of the best in the MLB. However, the club is in danger of tiring out their top bullpen arms. General manager Brian Cashman is looking for right-handed relief help prior to the trade deadline.
Oakland Athletics' reliever Tyler Clippard could be a target of Cashman's if general manager Billy Beane opts to sell at the deadline. Oakland (23-36) is still among the worst in baseball, but Beane is not yet ready to sell because the team still has time to rebound and catch up to the Astros and Rangers.
However, the A's have a number of valuable trade assets, including Clippard, of which Beane will not hesitate to deal if the team falls further out of contention before July 31. Clippard's value has increased as well because he's filled in as the closer while Sean Doolittle continues to deal with a shoulder injury. The 30-year-old has a 3.33 ERA, 1.356 WHIP, 21 strikeouts and 9 saves in 24 1/3 innings.
"Clippard is the right-handed reliever several teams will have interest in as the trade deadline approaches," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "Clippard has been Oakland's closer in Sean Doolittle's absence but would make an ideal setup man. Look for the Yankees, Twins, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and others to have interest if the A's find themselves out of contention."
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports also commented on Oakland's status as a seller at the deadline in his latest Inside Baseball column.
"GM Billy Beane and Co. have performed a near miracle by winning 88-plus games 10 of the last 15 seasons, but with them 10 games under (despite a plus eight on run differential) and all their many injuries, they are seen as a likely seller this summer. It's too early to say for sure, as Beane pointed out, but Beane also said in a phone interview, 'We have to be realistic and who's coming back and who isn't.'"
Clippard will be a free agent after 2015.
"The Yankees could still use another reliever (a righty), though, as they know. They have five lefties in the bullpen," Heyman added.
The key for New York is obtaining a reliable reliever who can help take the pressure of setup man Dellin Betances and closer Andrew Miller. Betances is perhaps the best reliever in baseball thanks to his 0.29 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, but the Yankees have to be concerned with his longevity at this point because his 31 1/3 innings pitched ranks second-most among all relief pitchers.
"At his current pace of use, Betances would finish the season with a staggering 80 appearances, with 88 1/3 innings; last year, he made 70 appearances, throwing 90 innings," writes ESPN Insider Buster Olney. "He's pitched six times in the past 11 days. He is on pace to throw 1,440 pitches, which is even more than last year, when he threw 1,365, the most among American League relievers."
Additionally, Miller has been one of the most shut-down closers (1.04 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 17 saves), but he's also getting up there in innings pitched. His 26 innings ranks 35th among the league's relievers, but he's sixth among those who started the season as a closer, behind only Trevor Rosenthal (STL), Mark Melancon (PIT), Jeurys Familia (NYM), Glen Perkins (MIN) and Aroldis Chapman (CIN).
Let's not forget Miller was used liberally last season with the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, appearing in 78 games (69 2/3 innings) in both the regular season and postseason.
New York signed reliever Sergio Santos earlier today in an effort to add right-handed help, but his 4.73 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 12 games with the Dodgers is nothing to be too excited about.
The Yankees will need a more drastic upgrade to ensure their success and to preserve the stamina for Betances and Miller. The rest of the bullpen owns a 4.23 ERA compared to the 0.63 ERA of the Betances-Miller combo.
Clippard began his MLB career with the Yankees back in 2007. He could be back in pinstripes before July 31.
