According to Phil Rogers of MLB.com, the New York Yankees have shown interest in making a trade before the deadline of July 31 that would make their starting rotation one of the best in baseball.

The New York Yankees are currently pursuing Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija. The current leaders in the American League East are one in a long list of organizations looking to acquire the 30-year-old pitcher. Other teams in the mix are the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers.

#WhiteSox will not tear down, trade Sale, etc. Did not simply put club together for 2015. View season as first of at least 3-year window. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 20, 2015

Protecting their lead in the American League East is motivation for the Yankees to attempt to upgrade a rotation that ranks ninth in the MLB in starters’ ERA. A left-hander like Scott Kazmir, who was traded to the Houston Astros Monday, might be a better fit for Yankee Stadium, but Jeff Samardzija brings a certain edge, which could go a long way in the Yankees organization.

With the Astros out of the race for Samardzija, other teams are looking to become the frontrunners for this highly sought after pitcher. The New York Yankees could be that frontrunner.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has some hitters to trade, with Eric Jagielo, a 23-year-old third baseman who currently is playing AA ball in Trenton, New Jersey. Jagielo may be an intriguing pick-up for the White Sox, who have arguably had the worst offense in baseball this season.

Samardzija is a free agent after the 2015 season, so he will be especially attractive to teams looking to use him for half of a season in order to make a run for a pennant, which the New York Yankees are.

While Jeff Samardzija has been inconsistent this season, putting up a 6-5 record with a 4.08 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, he has shown he can pitch spectacularly in the big leagues, which is intriguing to New York. Jeff Samardzija can attribute his struggles this season to how badly the White Sox have been playing. The Bronx Bombers would most likely use Samardzija as an upgrade for CC Sabathia, who has a 4-8 record with a 5.25 ERA and a WHIP of 1.40. With good run support, which the New York Yankees can provide, Jeff Samardzija could shine.

Do you think the New York Yankees will make a transaction in order to acquire Jeff Samardzija? If not, what other moves do you see the Yankees making before the trade deadline on July 31?

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