$38 Million Trade Idea Lands Yankees a New Starter

With superstar slugger Aaron Judge and an otherwise solid offensive lineup, the New York Yankees may be inching toward the trade deadline with pitching depth in mind.

A trade idea from Athlon Sports' Jake Elman would send Atlanta Braves' starter Chris Sale to New York to give the Yankees a boost on the mound to the tune of $38 million.

At 36, Sale is the youngest MLB player to log 2,500 strikeouts. The 2024 Cy Young Award winner has picked off 96 strikeouts in 13 games this season, and has a 1.39 ERA over his last seven games.

In the hypothetical trade, Elman suggests that the Braves could reasonably ask for the Yankees' Double-A Somerset prospect Spencer Jones, who has been a dominant threat at bat in the Eastern League.

Chris Rose was the first to suggest the trade idea in a conversation about the Atlanta Braves' offseason viability and future considerations, but included the caveat that the idea might sound ridiculous to fans of the team.

"I know that Braves fans would be like, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Rose said. "It's possible, it is, but when you're talking about something that could fetch you — I'm not talking about high-A prospects here — I'm talking about young guys that could help you continue to make the Braves very relevant."

Is there a world where the Braves would trade Chris Sale this season? pic.twitter.com/kQhGX95MQe
— Chris Rose Sports (@ChrisRoseSports) June 4, 2025

The Braves' issues this season have been chalked up to their offense, which is teeming with talent but struggling to deliver. Sale, on the other hand, continues to amaze from the mound. Could New York make better use of him?

Max Fried put in a shutout performance in Thursday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, clinching the series for the Yankees and allowing just one hit in six innings pitched. Carlos Rodón also gave an impressive start against the Guardians this week, giving up only five hits in eight innings pitched in Tuesday's 3-2 Yankees win. These starters are strong, but there's no telling what might happen day-to-day — investing in a deep bench could be the move.

The MLB trade deadline is just over the horizon, on July 31.

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