Jon Heyman Says Mason Miller Should Be the Yankees’ Top Deadline Target and It’s Hard to Argue

The Yankees are sitting in second place in the AL East at 54-42, and they’re three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. They’ve got a real shot at a wild card spot, but everyone knows the bullpen could use some help. Jon Heyman of The New York Post made it pretty clear what he thinks the front office should do before the trade deadline.

Heyman wrote that the Yankees’ two biggest targets should be Oakland’s All-Star closer Mason Miller and Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers. Miller is having a ridiculous year. He’s 2-1 with a 0.91 ERA, a 0.78 WHIP, and 25 saves. The guy is arguably the best closer in baseball right now. And the Yankees already have David Bednar closing games — he’s 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA and 18 saves, but he’s also blown two saves. Heyman’s logic is that Bednar could move into a setup role alongside Fernando Cruz, who’s been solid with a 2.25 ERA and 16 holds, and let Miller take over the ninth inning. That would give New York a bullpen that could really terrorize lineups in October.

The catching situation is rough

Austin Wells has been brutal at the plate this year. He’s hitting just .155 with six homers and 13 RBIs. That’s not going to cut it for a team that wants to make a deep playoff run. Ryan Jeffers, on the other hand, is hitting .292 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. That’s a massive upgrade. The Yankees need offense from the catcher position, and Jeffers could provide it.

The Yankees haven’t confirmed anything, obviously. Trade talks are always fluid and a lot can change between now and the deadline. But the logic here is hard to ignore. Pair Miller with their already solid starting rotation — including All-Star Cam Schlittler — and you’ve got a team that could hang with anyone in a short series. Add Jeffers behind the plate and you’ve patched one of the biggest holes on the roster.

The Yankees open a series against the Dodgers after the All-Star break. That’ll be a good test of where they really stand. But the front office needs to act fast if they want to turn this into a World Series roster.