Three trades the Yankees should make before the deadline

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season, the New York Yankees made a significant splash this past offseason, acquiring superstar outfielder Juan Soto to create MLB's top hitting tandem alongside Aaron Judge.

The early results were extremely encouraging, as the Yankees looked the part of being the best team in baseball, posting a 50-22 record to start the season. However, a myriad of injuries, poor performances from key pieces and an overall lack of depth have caused New York to go 10-20 over its last 30 games.

As the July 30 trade deadline rapidly approaches, it's clear the Yankees need to make several moves to ensure they don't fall out of playoff contention. With that in mind, here are three realistic trades New York should consider making to help bolster its roster for the stretch run.

Acquire White Sox RHP Michael Kopech

During an appearance on the "Foul Territory" podcast last month, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Yankees will seek bullpen help at the tradeline. According to Rosenthal, New York is eyeing relievers who can generate more swings and misses, as the team's bullpen ranks 20th in the majors in strikeouts ( 341 ).

While his 5.05 ERA is far from ideal, the hard-throwing Kopech could solve New York's dilemma. The lowly White Sox will surely be sellers at next week's trade deadline, and Kopech , who is arbitration-eligible this offseason and will be a free agent in 2026, is one of the team's most intriguing trade chips. As per Baseball Savant , Kopech has one of the nastiest and most overpowering pitch repertoires in MLB, ranking in the 99th percentile in fastball velocity and the 93rd percentile in strikeout rate.

Despite his lackluster ERA, the 28-year-old has an expected ERA of 3.95, suggesting his production has been impacted by bad luck and a poor supporting cast. Even though Yankee Stadium isn't a pitcher-friendly park by any means, Kopech could benefit immensely from a change of scenery and could perhaps be one of this season's most underrated trade deadline acquisitions.

Acquire Angels RHP Carlos Estevez, outfielder Kevin Pillar

Kopech shouldn't be New York's only bullpen addition, as the team will need to add a few arms to get to a spot where it can feel comfortable about its current group. There may be no trade target more desirable at the moment than Estevez, the American League Reliever of the Month for June.

Estevez struggled mightily to begin the season, posting a 6.17 ERA across his first 12 outings before Angels bullpen coach Steve Karsay realized the right-hander's woes were likely due to a delivery issue. Since making an adjustment to his delivery, Estevez has been one of the top relievers in baseball, converting 10 saves over his last 17 outings without allowing an earned run in that span.

Although he's an impending free agent, Estevez will likely be one of the more expensive arms to acquire at the trade deadline. However, he'd be worth the price for the Yankees and could immediately fill in as the team's setup man.

Pillar, meanwhile, is a cheap but compelling option to throw into a potential Estevez trade. With Alex Verdugo struggling both at the plate and in the field, the Yankees would benefit from adding another outfielder. The right-handed bat Pillar , who's slashing .273/.333/.465 with seven home runs and 32 RBI this season, could thrive in a platoon role alongside Verdugo.

Acquire Blue Jays infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Third base is another hole the Yankees would like to address before the trade deadline, considering their third basemen have combined to post 0.3 bWAR, the seventh-fewest among teams at the position.

Even so, it's unlikely any true difference-makers, such as Colorado's Ryan McMahon or Tampa Bay's Isaac Paredes, will be realistic targets for New York. As a result, the Yankees could opt to go bargain-hunting, and a reunion with Kiner-Falefa might be worth exploring, assuming he can return from his knee sprain before the deadline.

Prior to his injury, Kiner-Falefa, who spent the last two seasons with the Yankees before signing with Toronto this past offseason, was amidst a career year offensively. In 83 games, Kiner-Falefa slashed .292/.338/.420, all of which are the best marks of his career to go along with seven homers and 33 RBI. Even if his bat cools off in the second half, Kiner-Falefa's solid defense and positional versatility would be a much-needed addition to New York's roster.