ICYMI: Are the Yankees & Angels Now Trade Partners Again?

Just a quick hit and a little bit of me thinking out loud here. The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were thought to be potential trade partners for much of the winter with zero trades getting done when all the ink was dry. Are these two teams potentially trade partners again just a few weeks into their spring training schedules?


All winter long many of the fans wondered if the Angels would part with some of their young starting pitching to acquire the Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner. The Angels were looking for some outfield help to replace the traded Josh Hamilton and were able to find it elsewhere leaving Gardner back in the Bronx presumably for another season. Now the Yankees, who looked for starting pitching much of the winter, may have an extra starter or two on their hands while the Angels are stuck looking for at least one heading into the season.


The Angels have already lost a pair of starters this spring in Jered Weaver, who is dealing with chronic neck pain, and C.J. Wilson, who is struggling with his shoulder after injuring it last season. There is no word on when Weaver will continue throwing this spring but all signs point to Wilson being on the disabled list on Opening Day 2016 so is it time to make a deal?


The Yankees seem extremely impressed with what Luis Cessa has been able to do this spring and it almost seems like the ultimate “hype him up and sell him high” scenario that Brian Cashman is becoming known for. Would the Angels GM, and former Yankees assistant GM, Billy Eppler bite on Cessa or would he rather a commodity that he is already familiar with. A commodity like Ivan Nova or Bryan Mitchell perhaps?


I don’t pretend to know what the state of the Angels system is, their strengths and weaknesses, but if New York could turn Cessa into a nice prospect or two that would go a long way in making the Justin Wilson trade not hurt so bad. If the Yankees could sell even higher on Nova, who has also looked great this spring by the way, and fetch two or three starting prospects in his contract year then even better. If not then it may be another season without the postseason for the Angels and frankly, either would suit me just fine.