The Yankees have interest in Pirates left-hander Andrew Heaney, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Heyman adds that the Yankees, and the Mets, have checked in on Joe Ryan of the Twins and MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals. However, he downplays the likelihood of anything coming from those pursuits. Similarly, Heyman mentions that the Yankees reached out to the Pirates about Oneil Cruz but says nothing is likely to come from that either.
The Yankees have been connected to plenty of starting pitchers recently. That includes some potentially notable upgrades like Dylan Cease or Mitch Keller, as well as more back-end types like Chris Paddack, who was traded from the Twins to the Tigers yesterday.
Heaney is more in the latter category at this stage of his career. He’s had some tantalizing strikeout stuff in the past but that’s not the case this year. In 107 innings for the Pirates, he has a 4.79 earned run average and a subpar 17.2% strikeout rate.
His season got off to a strong start but he’s been in a rough slide lately. Through his first 14 starts, he had a 3.33 ERA, though with a subpar 18.5% strikeout rate. He was getting a bit of help from his .234 batting average on balls in play and 81.8% strand rate. His FIP and SIERA were both 4.44 for that span, suggesting those metrics thought it was a mirage. They were proven correct when Heaney posted an 8.79 ERA over his next six starts.
It’s not the most exciting set of numbers but the Yanks might just want a veteran to take the ball every five days. As mentioned, they were interested in Paddack, who has similar numbers to Heaney this year. Paddack posted a 4.95 ERA with a 17.6% strikeout rate before his trade.
The Yankees have lost Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt to Tommy John surgery but still have a strong one-two atop the rotation in Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. They have been without Luis Gil all year so far but he’s on the cusp of a return. Will Warren is having a good season on the whole. Adding a vet would allow the Yanks to perhaps move Cam Schlittler back to Triple-A or bump Marcus Stroman to long relief or off the roster.
It’s been a rough stretch for the Yankees, as they have fallen into a tight Wild Card race. Entering today, they are only a game and a half ahead of the Rangers, who are the top team not currently in possession of a playoff spot. Heaney wouldn’t be in the club’s planned playoff rotation but he could upgrade the staff for the stretch run. Schlittler has just two big league outings under his belt while Stroman has a 6.08 ERA in his eight starts this year.
Heaney shouldn’t cost much in terms of prospect capital and is also making just $5.25MM this year. There’s now less than $1.75MM of that still to be paid out. Since the Yankees are a third-time competitive balance tax payor and are over the top tier, they face a 110% tax on any additional spending.
The Yankees could pursue a more impactful upgrade and it seems like they have looked into the possibility. However, all reports have suggested that a trade of either Gore or Ryan would be a long shot. Both pitchers are affordably controlled for two years after this season, making them very valuable to their respective clubs. It would likely take a massive prospect haul to pry either player loose. It’s basically the same story with Cruz, who is controlled for three seasons after this one.
Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images
Yeah, let’s not bring him back that went over real well the first time.
Unbelievable. My thoughts exactly. He was a disaster the first time around. Yankees are pitiful.
Cash dumpster diving again….
Heaney was just as good with NY as anywhere else. Hard hits data some of the best of his career. Just small sample insane hr rate.
I like that they didn’t get traction on Ryan Gore so on to Heaney!
This year Heaney has allowed the most HRs that would have been HRs at all 30 stadiums. Zac Gallen is 2nd
Just sell already. It seems like they’re only trying to make the playoffs and not really go any farther.
Like you trying to spell MAMDANI? You certainly haven’t succeeded the first time. 🤣
Good luck on that one.
Not likely. He might well be elected mayor, but the NYC mayoralty has never been a stepping stone to the presidency.
John Lindsay, Rudy Giuliani, Bill Deblasio, and Mike Bloomberg all tried and failed.
The other big problem is like Bernie Sanders, a far lefty like AOC or Mamdani would be hard pressed to carry enough traditionally red states to get elected.
But keep dreaming.
What about President Fiorello LaGuardia, huh?
andyger63: What country?
next we’ll see Sonny Grey
Yeah agreed. Let’s pass on Heaney. He’s just a band-aid.
No no no. He’s been in the Bronx already and failed.
Ah crap here we go again!
Nothing burger, Heaney was a disaster his first go around with the NYY
Just as good in NY as anywhere else.
Poll question: Will Brian Cashman ever learn? Oh, never mind, of course he won’t.
Clip,
Heaney didn’t do so good the first time out with the Yankees, a second time probably has the same results. There are other options available, like the Diamondbacks starters, or even Keller from the Pirates too.
Agreed, Acoss. He’s always trying to thread the needle of the deal though…. And almost always comes out worse than what he should’ve.
Cashman always tries get to find that hidden gem. Every summer, we talk about getting all the big guys and we end up with Rosario or some relief pitcher that has terrible numbers but the analytics are “good”. This is sad for all of us Yankees fans. This is the same dude that traded for Javier Vazquez after his horrible 1 tenure with the yanks.
Heaney did same in NY as anywhere else. SSS fake insane hr rate is all.
as we speak he’s working on a trade for javier vazquez and sergio mitre
“Yankees interested in Andrew Heaney” on purpose?
This made me laugh…. Thank you!
i texted sigmund freud and asked why the yankees might be interested in heaney. he just texted me back
“the death instinct is a subconscious drive toward self-destruction”
Night falls on Cashman’s career
Your lips to God’s ears.
Good things have historically tended to happen when the Yankees and Pirates make a trade… good for the Pirates, that is.
You must be joking. Unless you mean getting back some cash and warm bodies to fester on the farm
Cervelli for Justin Wilson?
I honestly had forgotten about Holmes… but I’ve said before on this site that the Pirates obviously weren’t teaching him correctly, as they have Holmes every chance in the world before the trade. I was going back farther: Cervelli, Burnett, even Doug Drabek.
That Taillon trade did not work out too well.
Oh wait.Those other deals that you mentioned were actually made by other GM’s who were good at their jobs.
He wasn’t too bad with the Yankees. 2.3 and 1.4 WAR in his 2 years. Plus a close bud of Cole’s.
It did not work out well for the Pirates although Taillon has not really ever matched his potential anywhere.
He was a #1 for the Pirates and probably third in the draft the year after Cole went #1 in the draft.
Omg no! I’d rather throw who we have now.
If Cashman does this, he really needs to go.
Regardless, Boone needs to go.
I wonder what the rate of ‘Team X interested in Player Y’ articles to actual trades involving said team and player is around here — 5%? 25%? I suspect it’s quite low, but I haven’t a clue.
Well, since multiple teams can be interested in a player, and only one can get the, or they can not be moved at all, of course it would be low.
You do have a clue.Probably between 5% and 25% but closer to the former.
These writers are only doing their jobs on a site titled MLB Trade Rumors.
I’m obviously not a Yankees fan. My first response was also why are they interested?
Because Jon Heyman says so.
Throws with left arm. Veteran. Can both start and relieve. Cheap to obtain.
Popular with the other teams offense.
Cashman’s strategy seems to be to talk to everyone and make sure it’s leaked that they are talking to everyone while you have no intent on signing anyone who makes a lot of money. He could be honest and say they aren’t going to spend money on a team that is clearly not a contender, but that would cost ticket sales.
bppack: That doesn’t apply here. It’s a trade deadline, not a free agent signing deadline.
LMAO…need the NFL season to come sooner so I can be more depressed over the Jets instead of this tire fire in the Bronx
At least Cashman got McMahon, I’m still waiting for Jed to wake up from his coma…
Acoss my valued MLBTR homie,
I’m in the middle of selling a property and buying another house in the Long Island area. I’ve been stressed TF out dealing with this situation.
I should be able to seek refuge in watching the Yankees but instead I’m chugging Olde English 800 40s again. So many holes in the roster, so many injuries and so many managerial/front office blunders. I feel like I’m watching the late 80s/early 90s Yankees again (minus the great Don Mattingly).
Craven, ironically, those 80s and early 90s team probably would’ve beaten today’s team. At least they had a competent manager with Buck. He’d run circles around Boone with fundamentals.
I’ve never heard a manager talk so positively about getting mopped. It’s like saying you’re the toughest guy in the bar, only to be beaten to near death by the smallest guy in the bar, and then saying, “yeah, but we sure made him throw a lot of punches!”
Try watching the Mets. It’s never to late to make improvements in your life.
Mets Era,
You a Jets fan? If you are I bet you consume more malt liquor than me if you’re a Mets loyalist
Craven,
Don’t despair my friend! As Yankees manager Aaron Boone would say, it’s right in front of them!
Seriously though, both Jed Hoyer and Brian Cashman needs to get bullpen help. I don’t want to watch a third straight collapse of the Cubs in September…
Hopefully you get through your sale, that’s real stress I understand completely!
Craven: Not this year he doesn’t. Watch a Mets game and see what difference competent management makes.
YC: Buck was only manager 1992-95.
From 1986-91, you had Lou Piniella, Dallas Green, Bucky Dent, and Stump Merrill.
The shame of it for us, Blue, is that Mendoza was a in-house Yankee guy. And he’s the reason Boone’s Spring Trainings ran so smoothly.
Yeah, true, Blue. I was thinking he came in 1990, but that was when I was too young to remember.
Dallas Green is a great trivia answer.
If you ask someone to name the five guys who managed both the Mets and the Yankees, everyone easily gets Stengel, Berra, Torre, and Showalter, but only a knowledgeable one will get Green.
Thank you.
I’m sorry for your loss(es).
Jon Heyman reported it, it must be true. Lol he’s not even a Boris client wonder how that happened
God almighty
2021 FIELD OF DREAMS PTSD
So McMahon was a legit building block, liked it. Amed makes some sense as a decent bench bat, especially to pair with McMahon, but Heaney signals that the Yankees understand that while we’re still in it, maybe it doesn’t make sense to empty the coffers of prospects for big time rentals. (Same with the OF’s they’re supposedly interested in)
It’s a weird spot to be in, and no I don’t think we should be sellers either, but if we traded out say Goldschimdt for some help I’d be fine with it. For the record, Heaney is not a preference either way, though I do recognize that he’s better than his time in pinstripes.
How about Benintendi, Civale, Hauser and Tyler Alexander for Stanton and Cam Schlittler – Yanks pick up 10M on Stanton.
Stanton would void that trade
Stanton doesn’t want to wear the pinstripes on the Southside?
Right now why would anyone want to go there that doesn’t have to?
Better than riding the pine. If Judge can’t throw the ball he is going to DH.
Stanton cant throw the ball either and if he doesnt take a trade his ABs will be limited. Have a couple big seasons in Chicago or a couple big seasons on the bench.
Royals went from a bad team to the olayoffs in one season. Our pitching is going to be good. Need a few bats.
I’m probably in the minority of Yankees fans, but I like Stanton and believe the value he provides in postseason play are worth the 3 mos of annual IL stints and painful in-season K’s.
Plus, Stanton has been a standup guy when he wasn’t performing. I want him to finish as a Yankee, and I didn’t think he was a smart signing to begin with (because of the impending Harper free agency).
He was brought in to win a WS title and after the Yankees failed in his first 2 seasons when he played the field and was a terrific offensive player….Cash should have sold high on him knowing as he aged he would clog up the DH hole for a far too long and make then pass on countless player improvements they could have made had they not had him on the active 25 man roster….
Rocky, you’re right, and they passed on so many key players, too. So many guys that could’ve really bolstered this club over the years. Two that come to mind are Harper and Seager, but many more.
Stanton for the Yankees is line Kike Hernandez for the Dodgers. Regular season they are ok-ish.
Postseason they turn into monsters. If you don’t need Stanton to get you to the playoffs, you keep him for the playoffs.
Ryan & Gore are going nowhere. More nonsense from Heyman.
it’s just a leak from the Yankees to mollify their fans
“to mollify their fans”
If true, they’re more out of touch than we thought.
He’s actually been pretty good and I’m surprised Bailey Falter not getting some buzz!
Sad, sad,sad. But Rob Criminal Manfred appreciates your ignorance. The perfect MLB owner fan.
Heaney went GREAT for them last time, let’s run it back again!
Unpopular opinion: the Yankees should sell any pending FA and reboot for ’26, because 2025 seems like a wash. For about the last 6 weeks they’ve been one of the worst teams in the league (records wise) and that’s with having the best player in baseball playing. Now that he’s going to be out for another week plus, and than DH’ing when he returns to the lineup, I don’t see much on the horizon for them, especially when they are a poor fundamental team (baserunning & fielding). I’d get what I can for Goldy (a bucket of baseballs??) and than move Judge to first for the rest of the year. As funny and humerus as it would be to see Stanton playing the OF, if he got injured again, which is inevitably going to happen they can withstand it, hell I’d say the Yankees were better when Stanton was out of the lineup, but if Judge goes back to RF and rehurts himself and has to miss substantial time the Yankees are royally screwed and they probably wouldn’t recover from that, if this series this past weekend vs. Philly, and the first 12 innings of this series against the Rays has shown.
What??? Why??? No!!!
Infuriating to read things like this. Heany had a 7::32 ERA his last “stint” as a Yankee…what is wrong with Cashman?
He doesn’t bother with useless stats like era
Solid single to left field right there
Yankees interested in Andrew’s Hiney.
Teehee.
Heaney to the pen
They see a lefty with a decent fastball and two other average pitches. They need a lefty in the pen. It’s a smart move.
Socialism. Just what wealthy owners need.
Great, we’ll take $25k in IFA money….or a bucket of balls for Heaney. He’s way too inconsistent to pitch for a contender. He’s in the same category as Rich Hill. If he misses his spots, it’s HR Derby.
Have to give at least 250 unless you don’t have it you can give whatever you have.
Man he’s still hanging around?
Heaney actually was really good early in for the Pirates, actually excellent until early June. The Pirates have a pretty good recent track record of signing older lefty starters and turning them into decent trade chips…it’s one of the very few things they’ve succeeded at.
Chapman and Quintana rebounded with the Pirates.
Chapman rebounded with KC and Quintana with Giants but really wasn’t too bad with LA. Pirates helped Quintana some but definitely not Chapman. I’ll take either KC or Boston Chapman over Pirates.
Bring him back skyscraper repeller oh wise one Ninja Cash. He was outstanding the last time he was a Spankee! 🙂
Get something back for him Buccos. Like the article said, Andrew started good, but he has faded recently.
It is fake news. This won’t happen
PASS! Bring back lou trivino and Chad Green! And call it a day… gil will be back and with green and trivino, brubaker and yarborough can play spot starters down the stretch.
Id be ok with
Fried, rodon, gil, stroman Warren/yarborough and brubaker/schilttler
Pen trivino,weaver, green loogy,williams, hill hamilton and leiter and hopefully Cruz makes it back
Merrill Kelly, Mitch Keller…sure. Hoping for a turnaround with Zac Gallen or Dylan Cease?, allright. Andrew Heaney…no!
If you don’t want to trade any of the big 3 prospects you’re not getting much better than Heaney
There are no second acts in American lives. Especially with NYY lives.
Why bother? The Yankees are toast and not going anywhere.
Please don’t.