Yankees trade – With Aaron Judge out for weeks due to a right rib injury, the Yankees are still holding their spot atop the AL East—but the margin feels thin. Jon Heyman floated Colorado Rockies slugger Hunter Goodman as a long-shot trade idea, pointing to the Yankees’ need f
When Aaron Judge went down with an injury to the right side of his ribs, it didn’t just change the lineup—it changed the urgency. The New York Yankees have mostly kept steady through the multi-week absence, but the division race still looks fragile, especially in an AL East that can turn on a dime.
By mid-June, the expectation is that Yankees trade rumors will only intensify from here. A move aimed at adding a power bat is one obvious path—partly to help cover for Judge’s absence, and partly to account for the ongoing need to support Giancarlo Stanton as well.
Jon Heyman threw one name into the conversation during an appearance on MLB Network: Colorado Rockies slugger Hunter Goodman. Heyman framed it as a long shot, but the pitch was clear—New York could use more than just offense, and the Yankees may also be looking toward catcher depth.
“I think this is a long shot, but I’ll throw it out there. Yankees look like they may need a catcher, at least a backup catcher. Right now, the Yankee catchers are hitting, get this, .173 as a group. They could look at catcher Hunter Goodman, who looks like an All-Star again,” Heyman said.
Goodman’s appeal, at least on paper, is the production. This season, Goodman has an OPS of .865 along with 20 home runs and 37 runs batted in. Last season, he finished with 32 home runs and 91 RBIs.
Still, the stumbling block is straightforward: Colorado control and timing. Heyman’s own idea runs into a reality check because Goodman remains under team control for the Rockies. who are in the middle of another difficult stretch. Heyman noted the Yankees’ pursuit looks unlikely because Colorado badly needs young talent during its rebuild. and trading Goodman wouldn’t fit that direction.
Goodman has two more years of team control left after the 2026 season, with both years counting as arbitration years. The situation makes it less surprising that, even if New York’s needs are real, Goodman may not be the kind of target that’s available when the Rockies would rather keep building.
The catcher problem is very much on the Yankees’ doorstep right now. Austin Wells, the Yankees’ everyday catcher, is on the injured list due to cervical headaches and neck stiffness. Having insurance at the position is a priority for the team, and Heyman’s suggestion points directly to that need.
But even with that urgency, Goodman may still be “too ambitious,” as the fit collides with Colorado’s incentives. Judge’s right-rib injury keeps the Yankees in a holding pattern for now. while the AL East remains competitive enough to punish complacency—so the questions keep piling up: how much power can New York add. and what kind of catcher depth can realistically be acquired before the deadline?.
New York Yankees Aaron Judge injury AL East trade deadline rumors Jon Heyman Hunter Goodman Colorado Rockies catcher depth Austin Wells injured list Stanton