The New York Yankees have been connected to a trade for a talented AL East pitcher.
The New York Yankees' roster is just about complete after re-signing Cody Bellinger, and after missing out on Freddy Peralta, the Yankees may just be content to go into 2026 with their starting rotation as is.
But one area New York seems likely to address is the bullpen.
The Yankees lost both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency, and while both pitchers has their fair share of struggles last season, they were still integral piece on New York's relief staff.
While most of the best relief pitchers are off the free-agent market (although former Yankees David Robertson and Justin Wilson are both still available), general manager Brian Cashman may look to peruse the trade market for an answer.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports has identified a couple of potential targets for New York in that regard, and the most interesting one was definitely Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Griffin Jax.
Jax split the 2025 campaign between the Minnesota Twins and the Rays, pitching to the tune of a 4.23 ERA over 73 relief appearances and two starts. But a deeper look into Jax's numbers reveals a whole lot to like.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax. Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images.The 31-year-old racked up 99 strikeouts over 66 innings of work last year, averaging a solid 2.9 walks per nine innings. His 2.51 FIP also indicates that Jax was the victim of considerable bad luck.
Jax entered the big leagues with the Twins in 2021 and owns a lifetime 4.04 ERA, 3.57 FIP and 1.152 WHIP. He has also posted 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a decent 3.89 K/BB ratio, so clearly, there is something there.
The Phoenix native touches 100 mph with his fastball, and with pitching coach extraordinaire Matt Blake on the job, Jax could possibly turn into a lockdown late-inning arm in the Bronx.
Of course, because Jax plays in Tampa Bay, the process of actually acquiring him in a trade would be fairly difficult.
The former third-round pick is under team control through 2027, so the Rays don't have to be in any rush to move him before the season. They can also hold Cashman's feet to the fire and demand a significant return, and we know how Cashman feels about giving up prospect capital.
But given how badly the Yankees need another reliever, Cashman might cave and surrender a substantial package in exchange for Jax, who is also slated to earn just $3.6 million in 2026.
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