The New York Yankees reportedly have their sights set on a potential blockbuster trade for Tampa Bay Rays star Yandy Diaz.
According to Francys Romero, the Yankees are in the "final race" to acquire Diaz ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.
The other teams reported include the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners, according to Romero.
While the Yankees added Jazz Chisholm to the lineup and Mark Leiter Jr. to the bullpen, the front office still needs to make a move to bolster the lineup.
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Diaz is just one year removed from leading the American League with a .330 batting average while sitting with the third-best OPS (.932) among qualified hitters.
Adding Diaz would help that cause, especially with the uncertainty at first base — even with the emergence of rookie Ben Rice.
The 32-year-old is having a slightly down year compared to his standards, but he's still having a strong campaign.
Diaz is hitting .270 with nine home runs, 47 RBI and a .723 OPS. Those numbers don't jump off the page, but his underlying metics suggest positive regression is on the way.
According to Statcast, Diaz ranks in the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity (92.5 mph), 89th percentile in hard-hit rate (49.2%), 94th percentile in squared-up rate (32.9%) and 98th percentile in whiff rate (13%).
With just a few hours to go until the deadline, this splash move could mean a lot for the Yankees as they try to make a second-half run.
