Looking at Potential Trades for Matthew Boyd or Akil Badoo
by Cary Greene
July 25, 2021
***
Completing my examination of out of contention teams that are most likely to part with players who could help the Yankees, today I examine potential trades for Matthew Boyd, a pitcher, and Akil Badoo, who is an under-the-radar option for the Yankees in centerfield.
Dwelling the basements of their respective divisions are the second tier of teams that absolutely should be looking to sell. These teams include the Tigers, Royals, Twins, Rangers, Orioles, Marlins, Rockies, Pirates and Diamondbacks. I’ve scrutinized all of these teams but one, the slowly improving Detroit Tigers. Today I will examine how well they match up with the Yankees as potential July 31st Trade Deadline partners.
The Tigers have MLB’s #2 ranked Farm System. They have some really good arms coming up and they have some higher end talent stockpiled as well. The rebuild is actually progressing quite nicely and with AJ Hinch in charge, Detroit is on the rise.
Glaring opportunities exist for the Tigers Major League club positionally, at shortstop, second base, and in right field. Thoughts might dance in our minds of dangling Clint Frazier or Miguel Andujar but neither has anywhere near the trade value it would take to get what the Yankees would want from Detroit. However, Detroit actually matches up nicely with the Yankees in certain situations and both clubs could help each other along. Centerfield and the starting rotation are areas of need.
Miraculously, Rule 5 Draft pick up, 22-year left-hand hitting center-fielder Akil Badoo not only made the team this year, but he’s making the most of the opportunity by having a really solid season. By all accounts, he’s probably the Tigers’ MVP this season. He’s played more in centerfield than left field this season and overall, he’s a below average defensive player who would be a small downgrade from Brett Gardner defensively but obviously, a substantial upgrade offensively. Badoo is obviously super affordable for this year and beyond.
No doubt the Yankees would also like 30-year old lefty starter Matthew Boyd as well. Boyd is a solid starter with decent control and pretty good stuff. He also keeps the ball in the park and sucks up innings. He’d be a good fit in the middle of the Yankees rotation. Boyd is under control for all of next season as he’s entering his final year of Arbitration. He’d cost the Yankees over $3 million this year and north of $7 or 8 million next year.
Let’s examine what possible deals for Akil Badoo and Matthew Boyd might look like.
In order to move Detroit to part with Badoo, they’d need a nearly ready centerfielder and a top-10 prospect from the Yankees farm system – preferably a really solid pitcher. If the Yankees make that offer, I believe that trade happens without any hitches as both teams would be likely to pull the trigger. Here’s the obvious 2 for 1 trade:
Potential Trade for Tigers Akil Badoo:
Yankees Get: CF Akil Badoo – MLB Tigers Get: RHSP Yoendrys Gomez – A, CF Estevan Florial – AAA
This deal is just too solid for the Tigers to pass up. They’d be winning the trade from a value perspective as Florial is a toolsy player who is showing flashes of serious upside. at the highest levels. Meanwhile, scouts rave about Gomez and say he has a better feel for pitching than any of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects. He’s the key piece of this deal.
***
Now let’s examine what a 2 for 1deal for Matthew Boyd would look like:
Potential Trade for Tigers Matthew Boyd: Yankees Get: LHSP Matthew Boyd – MLB Tigers Get: LHSP TJ Sikkema – A, 2B- Trevor Hauver – A
In this trade, the Tigers – out of contention this year and with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize both already infusing their rotation this year, could easily live without Boyd and would happily add Sikkema to a system that is a little light on pitching in the lower levels. Since we already traded Gomez and Florial, this package also gives Detroit a solid middle infield prospect which they are a little light on also. They don’t even have a second baseman inside their well respected Top-25.
I think both deals can get done.
Let us hear what you think about potentially adding Akil Badoo and or Matthew Boyd at the Trade Deadline.
