New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Team Scouts Johnny Cueto, Yankees-Reds Trade Coming Soon?


New York Yankees trade rumors reveal that the team is scouting Johnny Cueto. Yankees scouts watched Cueto pitch for the Cincinnati Reds against the Cleveland Indians Sunday afternoon, July 19. A report from NBC Sports confirmed that the team has a lot of interest in Cueto, suggesting the team could make a big move before the MLB trade deadline.

It wasn’t the best start for the Reds to have scouts watching, as Cueto didn’t have much control against the Indians. He lasted just four innings, allowing two runs on four hits and six walks. Those walks drove up his pitch count early in the game and forced him to exit before he could notch another quality start. Even this rough start didn’t harm his numbers too much, as Cueto now has a 2.79 ERA and 0.95 WHIP on the season.

Though these New York Yankees trade rumors make a lot of sense for the team, it is going to be expensive to pry Johnny Cueto away from the Cincinnati Reds. It’s no secret that other teams are interested in acquiring him, with the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers recently mentioned as two other potential suitors. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Dodgers would love to add another ace to a starting rotation that already includes Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.

Cueto becomes a free agent during the MLB offseason, so he could become simply a rental for several teams. The Houston Astros are one of the teams that has shown interest, but it seems unlikely the franchise would be able to re-sign him. That’s a big deal, especially when competing against the Dodgers and Yankees, because the big market teams might be his next destination anyway. It could come down to a bidding war, with the team willing to pay the most to get him before the July 31 deadline emerging as the winner.

After the poor outing on Sunday, it’s possible that several teams will wait to watch another start to make a final decision on pulling the trigger for Johnny Cueto. After winning 20 games in the 2014 MLB season, there is a great chance he bounces back in his next start. Until then, the New York Yankees trade rumors might not indicate what the return package of players will look like. What might serve as an advantage for the Yankees is that the Dodgers might not be willing to deal one of its top two prospects to get a deal like this done.

[Image Source: Scott Cunningham/Getty Images]

Share this article: New York Yankees Trade Rumors: Team Scouts Johnny Cueto, Yankees-Reds Trade Coming Soon?
More from Inquisitr