The New York Yankees, one of the top teams in MLB, are being urged by an analyst to make another move to strengthen their bullpen, despite already acquiring Devin Williams as their closer. Ryan Garcia from EmpireSportsMedia believes the Yankees should pursue a trade to acquire left-handed reliever Andrew Nardi from the Miami Marlins in exchange for two prospects.
In the proposed deal, the Yankees would receive:
- Andrew Nardi
The Marlins would acquire:
- Rafael Flores
- Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz
This trade could be an intriguing one for New York, as Nardi would provide a left-handed reliever at a relatively low cost. Nardi, who is expected to earn $800,000 in 2025 before entering arbitration in 2026, had a 5.07 ERA in 59 games with the Marlins in 2024. He would be a budget-friendly option for the Yankees.
The key prospect in this potential trade would be Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, New York’s 12th-ranked prospect. Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the offseason, the 21-year-old right-hander posted a 2.91 ERA with a 5-5 record over 89.2 innings in the minors last season. Flores, a 24-year-old catcher who can also play first base, reached AA last season, hitting .274 with 15 home runs and 33 RBIs in 65 games.
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Despite Nardi’s 5.07 ERA, Garcia believes he would thrive with the Yankees. Garcia points out that Nardi’s advanced metrics, such as a 2.76 xERA and 3.33 FIP, suggest he was unlucky in 2024, and his underlying numbers are strong. Nardi excels at generating strikeouts while maintaining a low walk rate. Though he struggles with home runs, his ability to limit hard contact makes him an attractive option for the Yankees.
Nardi’s performance is seen as fitting the Yankees’ approach, which focuses on pitchers’ ability to manage contact and their K-BB%. Over the past two seasons, Nardi has ranked among the top left-handed relievers in strikeout percentage, K-BB%, and SIERA.
If this trade goes through, it would also free up payroll for New York. Nardi would replace Tim Hill, whom the Yankees wouldn’t need to bring back. The Marlins, in turn, would receive two impactful prospects, making the trade potentially beneficial for both sides.
While it remains uncertain whether Miami would be willing to part with Nardi, Garcia believes the trade makes sense for both teams.
