Yankees Tabbed as Potential Destination If Mariners Trade Logan Gilbert

Logan Gilbert

The New York Yankees opened the 2024 season with franchise ace Gerrit Cole on the injured list, and even though the pitching staff has carried on admirably without him — maintaining a top-five ERA so far — their hopeful push toward the World Series could certainly use another frontline starter.

Noting that need, David Schoenfield of ESPN listed the Yankees as a potential landing spot for Seattle Mariners ace Logan Gilbert, who could be on the trading block by midseason.

“The Mariners haven’t looked good early on — still too many strikeouts on offense, a mediocre defense, injuries in the bullpen and subpar starting pitching — so there’s a scenario where they are scuffling under .500 in late July and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto starts looking ahead to 2025,” Schoenfield wrote in his April 16 “Way-Early Trade Deadline Extravaganza Preview.” “Trading Gilbert, who is under team control through 2026 and whose contract starts getting expensive next season, could jump-start that by landing them the impact hitter this lineup desperately needs. In that case, turn to the Orioles, Cubs, Yankees and Dodgers as potential trade partners.”

Logan Gilbert Is on a 1-Year Deal That Could Make Him Appealing to the New York Yankees

After maintaining an ERA below 4.00 and racking up at least 174 strikeouts in 32 starts in both 2022 and 2023, Gilbert emerged as one of the most dependable young aces in all of MLB. And this season, the 26-year-old has gotten off to a stellar start, with a 2.33 ERA and 29 strikeouts in four starts.

He’s currently pitching on a one-year, $4.05 million contract with the Mariners and will be eligible for arbitration until he hits unrestricted free agency for the 2028 season. That kind of contract could appeal to the Yankees, who might want to lock up a relatively young and durable arm to a deal that can defer significant salary into the future, thus avoiding further tax penalties on one of the highest payrolls in MLB for the 2025 season and beyond.

Logan Gilbert Could Become a Frontline Starter for the New York Yankees

If the Yankees were to trade for Gilbert, he would have a chance to become the team’s second-best pitcher, perhaps even its go-to ace if Cole is unable to return effectively from injury.

To open the 2024 season, the Yankees rotation has been led by Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, Clark Schmidt and Luis Gil.

Cortes has been perhaps the shakiest starter so far, with a 4.50 ERA across four starts, while Rodón, Gil and Schmidt have been solid. Stroman, meanwhile, has been superb, with two shutout starts and then a rougher one in his most recent outing, for a 2.12 ERA overall.

There’s reason to believe that Gilbert could be the best starter on virtually any staff in 2024. In his most recent outing, against the Cincinnati Reds, he struck out six and induced seven ground balls in 6.2 innings, earning the win. And he is continuing to add to an arsenal that already made him one of the most challenging pitchers for opposing batters to face.

“The man who began his career in 2021 as one of the most fastball-heavy pitchers has over time dramatically revamped his slider in 2022, added a splitter in 2023, and now developed a cutter for 2024,” Zach Mason noted for Lookout Landing.