MLB’s trade season extends far beyond the sight of players swapping jerseys. It’s the suspense, the strategy, and the tug-of-war between front offices that give the trade market its electric pulse. Every rumor, every whisper of a blockbuster deal, sets the baseball world buzzing. Now, an All-Star who has posted a 3.52 ERA with 144 SOs this season has got the Yankees and Cubs fanbases dreaming.

While the Cubs have their eyes on him for days, the Yankees may also emerge as a contender. If you haven’t guessed it already, the player we are talking about is Mackenzie Gore. MLB insider Jeff Passan sees the Yankees as a potential fit for Gore.

“Jeff Passan named the Yankees as a potential fit for Nationals ace and 2025 All-Star Mackenzie Gore. The 26-year-old southpaw has been stellar this season, posting these numbers: 117.2 IP, 11.01 K/9, 3.52 ERA, 3.63 xERA, 3.28 FIP, 3.42 xFIP, 3.42 SIERA, 2.8 WAR. How would we feel about Gore in pinstripes, and what’s a potential trade package?” The Yankee Report posted on X.

For the unversed, Gore made his first All-Star appearance this season. And it was well earned as he’s been pitching as well as ever. This year, he has posted a 3.52 ERA over 21 starts, racking up 144 SOs, which ties him for third in the NL. Now, imagine the Yankees adding him to a rotation that already features Carlos Rodon and Max Fried this year. Well, the projection sounds great, but trading for Gore would cost the Yankees a ton.

According to Sportrac.com, Gore is projected to fetch $157 million deal when he hits free agency. So he is not coming cheap by any stretch! But the trade is not totally out of the question.

The Cubs, meanwhile, are also very interested in Gore. They started the season with a hole in their rotation. And things have only gone downhill from there. For instance, Jameson Taillon has been sidelined with an injury, and now Justin Steele is out for the season with an elbow issue as well. So, a starter like Gore is the need of the hour for the Cubs.

But talking about the Yankees, do they only need starters or more than that?

The Yankees have also got the bullpen to replenish

Well, for sure, the Yankees are in urgent need of starters, but the story doesn’t end there. Their bullpen is battered in a far worse manner. The Bombers’ bullpen struggles aren’t even news anymore. Rather, it’s become a regular occurrence lately. Take their first home game after the All-Star break, for example. The bullpen completely unraveled against the Phillies, giving up 10 runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

And the injuries haven’t helped either. Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr., and Yerry de los Santos are all on the shelf, aiming to return sometime in August.

So, naturally, the rumor mill is heating up, with the Yankees being linked to multiple relievers. Reports have them eyeing two arms from the Twins as well: right-hander Jhoan Duran and lefty Danny Coulombe. And that makes sense, as velocity has been a glaring weakness for this Yankees’ bullpen.

The Yankees relievers are averaging just 93 MPH, the lowest in the league alongside the Rangers. Duran, known for his heat, may give the Yanks exactly what they’re missing. However, no concrete information has surfaced regarding that potential trade yet. Be it Gore or Duran or even Coulombe for that matter, the Yankees are yet to make a visible move. It’s all rumors at the moment.

Currently, the Yanks are 5.5 wins behind the table-topper Blue Jays in the AL East. With October just two months away, it’s surely a race against time for the Bombers to bolster their arms.