Will the Yankees Reignite Blake Snell Interest, as Dylan Cease Trade Buzz Grows?

There’s a sense of panic slowly growing inside the Bronx Clubhouse. It’s like doomsday is coming closer but is still far enough for one to dread its arrival. The Gerrit Cole injury scare has completely sucked the air out of the New York Yankees balloon. It’s the last thing they needed. He was the one player they couldn’t afford to see injured. But now that the undesired has happened, Blake Snell might have just become the luckiest man in baseball.

In the absence of Cole, the Yankees desperately need a replacement. While they have some options internally, there’s a growing chatter they might also look outside. That has brought up the names of Snell and Dylan Cease. However, the Cease trade comes with its own share of complications. So with things not yet clear, it’s worth speculating what the future could look like in the Bronx Squad.

Blake Snell – a wanted man or an unavoidable need?

Thanks to Gerrit Cole, the once-cold links between Blake Snell and the Yankees have found a much-needed spark. While Aaron Boone termed Cole’s elbow MRI as just a “precautionary” exercise, it has nonetheless raised serious worries among the Yanks. What if the worst possible scenario is true – how will they cope? That has given rise to Snell’s case. However, the reports have been mixed on that front as well.

On one hand, The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty has shared that while the Yankees won’t make a move until they’re sure about Cole’s issue, Snell could be a potential target. If the Yankees would target the top free agents market, “they would look toward Snell,” according to Kuty. That could give great hopes to the Snell-Yankee shippers, but then there’s a conflicting report to look at as well.

SNY’s Andy Martino has noted that the Cole news “has not reignited” the Yankees’ pursuit of Blake Snell. While Martino didn’t give more details, he was sure that nothing had changed on that front as of his reporting. It’s being remembered that the Yankees were interested initially, but since then left the Snell sweepstakes after their offer was rejected. 

Read more: Inside the MRI Ordeal Giving Yankees Fans Nightmares Over Gerrit Cole’s Health

The Yankees prefer a long-term deal due to their taxation issue, while Boras offered them a short-term deal for Snell recently. However, the trade route might be even more expensive for the Bombers.

Why Dylan Cease might not be the end-all-be-all for the Yankees

Other than Snell, the other option for the Yankees is trading Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox. While at a salary of just $8 million, he’d be quite a cheap addition, the issue lies in the Chi Sox’s demand. The last time they talked, the Sox asked for the Yankees’ top prospect, Spencer Jones. And the Pinstripes have made it clear that Jones is an untradable player for them. 

So that makes a trade difficult. The White Sox might demand something that the Yankees can’t give. On the other hand, Snell’s links continue to send mixed signals. So while the Bronx Bombers are awaiting doomsday, things are looking bleak all around them. 

Read more: New York Yankees Still in for Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery? Struggling Pitchers Raise Concerns