Yankees Explore Shortstop Acquisitions Amid Volpe Struggles, Injuries

The New York Yankees are actively exploring the trade market ahead of the deadline, focusing on adding versatile infielders and bolstering their pitching staff to address recent injuries and performance issues. With Aaron Judge sidelined due to an elbow injury, the team is seeking a right-handed bat with positional flexibility, such as Minnesota's Willi Castro, who offers speed, defense, and switch-hitting capabilities. The Yankees have also traded for Ryan McMahon and added utility infielder Amed Rosario, who could serve as a backup across multiple positions, especially given struggles from shortstop Anthony Volpe, whose recent poor offensive and defensive performance has prompted discussions about potentially sending him down or replacing him. Interest in players like Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz suggests the team may be preparing to replace Volpe as their everyday shortstop. On the pitching front, the Yankees lost out on Seth Lugo, who signed an extension with the Royals, leading them to consider alternatives such as Mitch Keller to stabilize their rotation. Overall, the Yankees aim to build a deeper, more versatile roster to remain competitive into October.