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Insider urges Yankees to swing catcher trade with Twins
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The New York Yankees enter Thursday with momentum, but their catcher situation remains an obvious trade deadline question. New York is coming off a 10-5 win over the Chicago White Sox Wednesday night, yet the club's overall success has not erased concerns about offensive production behind the plate.
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Austin Wells has struggled throughout the season and remains on the injured list with cervical headaches. In his absence, the Yankees have leaned on depth options while continuing to search for more consistency at one of baseball's most demanding positions.
The reality prompted The Athletic's Chris Kirschner to make a case for New York to target Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
In an article for The Athletic, Kirschner explained why Jeffers should be on the Yankees' radar while pointing to the production gap created by the club's current catching group.
"Entering Wednesday, which ended with a 10-5 win over the Chicago White Sox, Yankees catchers had a 53 WRC+, third worst in MLB; only the Philadelphia Phillies and White Sox had received worse production behind the plate. Among catchers with at least 160 plate appearances this season, Wells' 53 wRC+ was the second worst; just Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez had a lower mark."
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The numbers show a clear weakness. Yankees catchers owned a collective 53 wRC+, while Jeffers posted a 163 wRC+ before suffering a broken hamate bone in May.
Jeffers continues to progress in his recovery and remains on track for a return before the trade deadline. If Minnesota entertains offers, his availability could make him one of the most sought-after catchers on the market.
The fit also extends beyond the statistics. Jeffers previously worked with Yankees director of catching Tanner Swanson, giving the organization an existing connection to evaluate.
For a team with World Series aspirations, upgrading behind the plate could address one of the few remaining weaknesses on the roster. Adding a bat like the 29-year-old catcher's would provide much-needed production at catcher and could strengthen New York's chances of making a deep postseason run.
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