Yankees Trade Rumors: Chris Archer On New York's Radar With Few Big Pitchers Available

If the New York Yankees are going to add a starter that will have a major impact on their race to win the AL East and the 2018 World Series, they’ll probably have to look outside of the list of names that have been rumored to be available for months. Free-agents-to-be like J.A. Happ and Cole Hamels are expected to be dealt before next week’s trade deadline, but they aren’t performing like pitchers that would give the Bronx Bombers a serious upgrade in the rotation.

That could be why the Yankees are checking in on Chris Archer, according to multiple reports. The Tampa Bay Rays might not be eager to deal their second-best starter, especially to their division rivals, but New York has a wealth of prospects that might be able to at least pique the team’s interest.

The price for Archer would likely be high, in large part because of his team-friendly contract. The 29-year-old is signed through the 2021 season with an average salary of $8 million over the next three years. That’s great value for a player that hasn’t yet celebrated his 30th birthday and has made two All-Star teams in four years.

Archer isn’t an ace like Jacob deGrom, whom the Yankees might have interest in acquiring if the New York Mets weren’t opposed to making a trade with their cross-town rivals. Since capping off three sub-3.35 ERA seasons with a top-five AL CY Young finish in 2015, the right-hander has posted an ERA north of 4.00.

The 2018 campaign has been Archer’s worst one yet with a 3-4 record, a 4.30 ERA and a career-high 1.38 WHIP. Archer dealt with a left abdominal strain early in the season, and his numbers are much better since the middle of May. He’s got a 2.41 ERA in his last seven outings, striking out 47 batters over 37.1 innings.

Archer would certainly be an upgrade over Sonny Gray, who would be the No.4 starter for the Yankees in a postseason series. Gray has underachieved since being acquired by New York last year, and there are rumors that the team might consider trading him before July 31. Even if the Rays aren’t interested in Gray, the Yankees could try to deal the pitcher for prospects and then offer those minor-leaguers to Tampa Bay as part of a trade package.

At 19 games out of first place in the division and 9.5 games out of the second AL Wild-Card spot, Tampa likely won’t make the playoffs this year. But the team does have a winning record and could hold onto Archer in hopes of contending next season.