Yankees linked to Rockies All-Star catcher as deadline chatter heats up
With MLB’s Aug. 3 trade deadline closing in, reports tie the Yankees, Braves and Nationals to three very different market questions.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
The Yankees’ catching problem has a very loud trade-deadline name attached to it: Hunter Goodman, the Rockies’ All-Star catcher who has slugged 27 homers this season.
ESPN reports that New York has shown interest in Goodman before, though the Yankees and Rockies have not held recent talks. The timing still makes the fit hard to miss, with the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline now just over two weeks away and front offices turning from the amateur draft to the trade market.
New York has received little offense from its catchers this season. According to CBS Sports, Yankees catchers rank 29th in batting average at .175 and on-base percentage at .250, 30th in slugging percentage at .269, and 26th with 0.2 WAR.
Goodman, 26, would bring a thump. CBS Sports notes he leads all catchers with 27 home runs, and his road numbers have been stronger than his work at Coors Field: 18 homers with a .964 OPS away from Denver, compared with nine homers and a .729 OPS at home.
There are catches with the catcher. CBS Sports reports Goodman does not grade well defensively and carries one of baseball’s higher strikeout rates. He also remains under team control through 2029, a detail that would likely matter in any trade conversation.
Braves hunting for bats despite battered rotation
The Braves have plenty of pitching injuries, but their deadline focus is currently on offense, according to The Athletic.
Atlanta’s lineup has sagged since June 1, hitting .231/.298/.378 as a team, according to CBS Sports. Ronald Acuña Jr. could return from a hamstring strain during the club’s current homestand, but The Athletic reports the Braves still have room to pursue another bat, particularly at shortstop or designated hitter.
The pitching injury list is not short. CBS Sports lists Martín Pérez with a forearm injury, Spencer Schwellenbach recovering from elbow bone spur surgery, AJ Smith-Shawver out after Tommy John surgery, and both Spencer Strider and Robert Suarez dealing with elbow inflammation.
Those pitchers are expected back in the coming weeks, according to CBS Sports, giving Atlanta a path to internal help on the mound. On offense, beyond Acuña’s expected return, the same built-in boost is not as obvious.
Nationals getting interest in Luis García Jr.
The Nationals are also part of the deadline buzz, with multiple teams asking about first baseman Luis García Jr., according to The Athletic.
García, 26, has moved from second base to first base this season and has been on a power tear. CBS Sports reports he has hit 15 of his 20 home runs over his last 33 games.
His profile comes with wrinkles. García bats left-handed, has been heavily platooned and is not considered a strong defender, according to CBS Sports. His contract status helps his market, though, because he has another year of team control beyond this season.
CBS Sports identified the Diamondbacks and Padres as speculative fits because both clubs are in the postseason race, currently outside the playoff field, and could use help at first base. That was presented as analysis rather than a reported link.
With the deadline approaching, the market is beginning to take shape: the Yankees need catcher production, the Braves need lineup help, and Washington has a controllable bat drawing calls.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.