A pair of veteran pitchers with recent All-Star Game appearances are allegedly realistic options to be traded this winter, and both make sense as targets for the New York Yankees.
The Yankees had big goals for the 2025 season after reaching the World Series a year ago. However much to the chagrin of Bronx Bombers fans, the team was decisively ousted in the Divisional Series by rivals and eventual American League champs the Toronto Blue Jays. It is why they will once again be looking to bolster the roster to end one of their longest droughts without a championship.
One of the big priorities for the team this offseason is to re-sign talented and talented veteran Cody Bellinger. However, recent reports suggest the organization would also like to add a strong veteran pitcher to the rotation. Neither Gerrit Cole nor Carlos Rodon is expected to be ready for the start of the season as they recover from injuries, and they need someone to help fill that void in the short term.
An intriguing option could have been St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray. However, the three-time All-Star was acquired by the Boston Red Sox this week. Despite Gray being off the board, MLB insider Jon Heyman pointed to a pair of intriguing alternatives this week that he believes will be traded this offseason.
Could NY Yankees target MacKenzie Gore or Pablo Lopez trades?
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In a new report on the trade market for star pitchers, Heyman claimed deals for Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, and Sandy Alcantara are unlikely. But he added, “Two-star starters with better chances to be traded are probably Pablo López and MacKenzie Gore.”
Lopez earned All-Star honors two years ago for the Minnesota Twins. He missed a large chunk of time this season due to a hamstring injury. However, when he took to the mound, he posted a 2.74 ERA in 14 starts. He is in the final year of a four-year contract and will make $21 million in 2026. Minnesota is in a quiet rebuild and is open for business.
Former San Diego Padres prospect had a breakout season for the Washington Nationals in 2025, landing his first appearance in the All-Star game this summer. However, he had a rough second half as he went 1-7 and had a 6.75 ERA over the final months of the campaign. He is under arbitration team control for the next two seasons.
After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka … More about Jason Burgos