The New York Yankees are positioned as one of the strongest teams in Major League Baseball this season, which positions them as active buyers leading into the trade deadline.

With their sights set on bolstering the roster for a deep postseason run, the club is expected to focus primarily on strengthening its relief pitching options. However, opportunities to add starting pitching depth are also under consideration as the team looks to shore up potential weaknesses.

While the bullpen remains the most pressing area for improvement, some analysts believe the Yankees should explore a specific addition from the National League.

Stephen Parello of FanSided has highlighted Dustin May of the St. Louis Cardinals as a intriguing target, even if the chances of a deal appear slim. Parello points out that the right-hander could provide value in multiple capacities if acquired.

“As for May, he’s an interesting option, though less likely. If the Yankees were to pursue him, he could help in one of two ways,” Parello wrote. “First, a move to the bullpen could help unlock his stuff. The 28-year-old has a seriously long injury history, which includes a near-fatal bout with a salad. While nothing can protect him from a rogue piece of lettuce, pitching out of the ‘pen could keep his arm healthy, as he’s only been able to top the 100-inning threshold once as a starter.”

Parello continues by outlining another strategic advantage. Bringing in May would allow the Yankees to streamline their current depth chart and potentially remove less reliable veterans from the active roster.

“The second benefit is that acquiring him could consolidate the redundancy the Yankees have with Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, and push both of the underwhelming veterans off the roster. The Yankees don’t trust either Blackburn or Yarbrough to actually make a spot start, so that’s another role that May could fill during the dog days of the summer and keep everyone fresh.”

May, who inked a one-year deal worth $12.5 million with St. Louis during the offseason, brings valuable familiarity with the American League East after a previous stint with the Boston Red Sox. His current performance with the Cardinals shows promise, as he holds a 3-6 record and a 4.59 ERA across 12 starts. This track record suggests he could step in effectively as emergency starting depth for aces like Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Max Fried, all of whom have dealt with injuries at various points this year.

Beyond spot starts, May could prove useful in addressing workload concerns for other pitchers on the staff, such as Ryan Weathers. Should Weathers require a transition to relief duties to manage his innings, the addition of May would help maintain rotation stability without overtaxing the team’s resources.

In a potential playoff scenario, the right-hander’s versatility could become even more valuable. If he performs well during the final stretch of the regular season, the Yankees might deploy him out of the bullpen to provide extended outings and give manager Aaron Boone additional flexibility in high-stakes games.

The emphasis on bullpen upgrades aligns with broader assessments of the team’s needs. According to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, the Yankees’ relief corps stands out as a clear vulnerability heading into deadline discussions.

“At last year’s deadline, the Yankees brought in a trio of relief arms in Jake Bird, Camilo Doval and David Bednar,” Kuty wrote. “They may not need as much assistance in sheer quantity this time around, especially with internal options they may be considering. But one of the evaluators, when asked about the Yankees’ weak points, replied: ‘Lots of bullpen (help).’”

With relievers frequently changing teams in the weeks before the deadline, New York should have several realistic trade targets available. The combination of strong internal candidates and external acquisitions could help solidify the bullpen while the team continues its pursuit of another championship.

Overall, any moves made in the coming weeks will aim to balance immediate needs with long-term roster health as the Yankees push toward October.