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So you’re saying there’s a chance? ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan are out with their list of the top 25 Hot Stove trade targets. As you would expect, the New York Yankees make a few appearances.
Most notably, McDaniel and Passan have the Yankees as potential trade partners for three of the top starting pitchers on the market.
Ace On The Market
It all starts with Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who tops the list. The ESPN insiders list the Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants as team fits. But the duo also notes there’s just a 10% chance of the Tigers trading Skubal.
“Despite several executives believing Skubal will move, the Tigers have shown no sign of deviating from their position that the back-to-back American League Cy Young winner will stay in Detroit,” McDaniel and Passan write. “Though he’s a free agent after 2026 and contract extension discussions have gone nowhere, Skubal is the Tigers’ centerpiece player, and Detroit intends to contend again next season.”
The 29-year-old Skubal won his second straight American League Cy Young Award this year afterleading the league with a 2.21 ERA.His 7.6 WAR and 0.89 WHIP also topped the AL. He finishedsecond to Red Sox ace Crochet in strikeouts, recording a career-best 241 whiffs.
National Treasure
A better fit for the Yankees could be Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who checks in at No. 9 on ESPN’s list. Passan and McDaniel put the chances of a trade at 30% and list the Yankees, Orioles, Giants, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks as fits.
” Teams expect Gore to be wearing a different uniform by the end of 2026,” Passan and McDaniel report. “They just aren’t sure whether a deal will happen now or at the trade deadline in July. New Washington president of baseball operations Paul Toboni has held discussions with multiple teams about Gore, but the ask is understandably high. Gore’s impending free agency after 2027 complicates things somewhat.”
The 26-year-old Gore earned his first All-Star nod this year, despite posting a career-high 15 losses. However he recorded a career-high 185 strikeouts while making 30 starts.
Heading South?
A cheaper option could be Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera, who’s No. 18 on ESPN’s list of trade targets. Passan and McDaniel put the predicted chance of a trade at 40% and list the Yankees, Orioles, Giants, Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays as team fits.
“The hard-throwing Cabrera exceeded 100 innings for the first time in his career in 2025 and flashed frontline starter ability,” Passan and McDaniel note. “Is that enough for teams to try to acquire him? Due to Cabrera’s injury history, his ceiling and three years of control, a deal like this is tough to gauge. The Marlins understandably want premium prospects back, and teams understandably are wary of the red flags.”
The 27-year-old Cabrera won a career-high eight games this year while recording a 3.53 ERA over 26 starts. He also set personal bests in strikeouts (150) and innings pitched (137.2).
The Yankees could be in the market for a starting pitcher with Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery), Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) and Carlos Rodon (elbow surgery) all expected to miss the start of the 2026 season.