The New York Yankees have lost seven of their last ten games but still maintain an impressive 54-32 record. As the July 30 trade deadline approaches, Manager Aaron Boone’s team could benefit from several upgrades. One possibility is acquiring infielder Luis Rengifo and reliever Carlos Estevez from the Los Angeles Angels.
On June 28, The Athletic’s Chris Kirshner and Brendan Kuty proposed six trades to address the Yankees’ weaknesses, with former general manager Jim Bowden providing critiques. Here’s the proposed trade for Rengifo and Estevez:
Yankees receive: Infielder Luis Rengifo and relief pitcher Carlos Estevez
Angels receive: Outfielder Everson Pereira and right-handed pitcher Ian Hamilton
Bowden commented on the proposal, saying, “I love this trade concept for the Yankees as Rengifo is an underrated player with an extra year of control, and Estévez would add closing security behind Holmes. However, this deal makes little sense for the Angels. Pereira has huge power but lacks consistency, and Hamilton will be 30 next year. The Angels, as a rebuilding team, need prospects more than a veteran reliever with a 1.584 WHIP and 4.2 walks per nine innings. Great for the Yankees, terrible for the Angels.”
Acquiring Rengifo Could Be Exactly What the Yankees Need
Even during their strong performances, there were murmurs about upgrading the Yankees’ right infield side. Bowden had previously mentioned this possibility while discussing trade deadline needs for all MLB teams. “The Yankees’ right side of the infield has underperformed, and if the production doesn’t improve, that will be the focus for upgrades via trades,” he said.
This includes first baseman Anthony Rizzo (currently on the injured list) and second baseman Gleyber Torres, who has struggled with a .652 OPS in his first 341 plate appearances this season. Veteran DJ LeMahieu has also struggled at third base, posting a .497 OPS through 99 plate appearances.
Rengifo would provide the Yankees with a versatile infielder capable of hitting at an above-average level. In 2024, he has mainly played second and third base but has also accumulated innings at shortstop and the outfield throughout his career. After posting a .556 OPS in 2021, Rengifo improved to .724 in 2022 and .783 in 2023. Currently, he has a .317/.362/.449 line with an .810 OPS through 261 plate appearances, with his .317 batting average leading baseball before July 2 games.
Estevez Would Give New York a Solid Late-Game Bullpen Duo
The Yankees have used 21 different relievers in 2024, producing a combined 1.5 fWAR, ranking 16th in baseball. Closer Clay Holmes has been the most productive, with a performance worth 1.0 fWAR through 34 innings. Adding Estevez would give Boone a strong one-two punch at the end of games.
Estevez has posted a 3.00 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 27 innings for the Angels in 2024. His recent performance has been particularly impressive, with a 4.76 ERA through the end of May and no runs allowed in June (10 innings pitched). Estevez has also saved 47 games since the start of 2023, bringing plenty of high-leverage experience.
Unlike Rengifo, Estevez is in the final season of a two-year, $13.5 million contract, making him a half-season rental before hitting free agency in November.