The New York Yankees are one of the top teams in the MLB but one analyst believes they need to make another move to further bolster its bullpen.
The Yankees have already acquired Devin Williams to be its closer, but Ryan Garcia of EmpireSportsMedia believes the team needs to make another move. Garcia proposed a deal that would see New York acquire left-handed reliever Andrew Nardi from the Miami Marlins for two prospects.
Yankees acquire:
Marlins acquire:
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one. The Yankees would acquire a left-handed reliever for two prospects, including their 12th-ranked prospect.
Nardi is expected to earn $800,000 in 2025 before going to arbitration in 2026. The left-handed has control left so he would be a cheap option for the Yankees. With the Marlins in 2024, he went 3-2 with a 5.07 ERA in 59 games.
The big part of the return from the Yankees to Miami would be Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz who’s New York’s 12th-ranked prospect. The right-hander was acquired this offseason from the Boston Red Sox in a trade. The 21-year-old went 5-5 with a 2.91 ERA in 89.2 innings in the minor leagues last season.
Flores, meanwhile, is a catcher who can also play first base. The 24-year-old reached AA last season hitting .274 with 15 home runs and 33 RBIs in 65 games in AA.
Analyst Details Nardi’s Fit With Yankees
Although Nardi did have a 5.07 ERA, Garcia believes he would fare much better with the Yankees.
The MLB analyst says the advanced numbers behind Nardi show he is better than his ERA indicated. He also wouldn’t be in high-leverage roles as he was with the Marlins.
“Last season Andrew Nardi posted a 5.07 ERA which would scare most Yankees fans off immediately,” Garcia wrote. “But relievers are more prone to randomness than other position groups because they participate in a small percentage of a team’s innings in a season. With a 2.76 xERA and 3.33 FIP, most underlying metrics believe that Nardi wasn’t much different than he was last year when he posted a 2.67 ERA, he just ran into some less fortunate luck and underperformed. The Yankees are more focused on how a pitcher manages contact and their K-BB%, not their ERA, and Nardi would fit them like a glove.
“Over the past two seasons, Andrew Nardi is top-five among left-handed relievers in K%, K-BB%, and SIERA. He’s done an excellent job of punching batters out without having high walk rates. While home runs are an issue, Nardi doesn’t allow that much damage contact, which is why his xERA, which factors quality of contact allowed, has always viewed him favorably,” Garcia added.
Nardi made his MLB debut in 2022 after being selected in the 16th overall in the 2019 MLB draft.
Trade Would Free Up Payroll for New York
Along with the Yankees getting a solid reliever, New York would save some money.
Nardi would be a replacement for Tim Hill, who the Yankees wouldn’t have to bring back, while Miami gets two impact prospects.
“The Yankees would be adding someone with an elite ability to generate weak contact while striking out tons of batters,” Garcia wrote. “Since Andrew Nardi is pre-arbitration, they likely won’t receive a tax bill for him that exceeds the $1 million mark. It serves as a win-win for the Yankees and Marlins.”
Whether or not Miami is interested in moving Nardi is to be seen. But, Garcia believes it’s a trade that makes sense for both teams.
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