MLB insiders keep hinting at Yankees' pursuit of blockbuster Oneil Cruz trade

Following a laundry list of players the Yankees have called the Pirates about, it is no surprise that Oneil Cruz has finally been brought up. The Pirates' star center fielder is reportedly picking up a lot of interest on the market, with lots of suitors knocking at the door. Despite all the interest, Pittsburgh is not expected to trade him away, yet the constant mentions of the Yankees and Cruz might make things quite interesting.

Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette initially reported that there were a lot of teams calling about Cruz. Then, on Thursday, he broke that the Yankees were one of the teams calling, leading to MLB insiders Mark Feinsand and Jon Heyman also talking about the calls Pittsburgh is receiving. Both said that Pittsburgh would have to be blown away by an offer to even consider it.

A Cruz trade is seen as very unlikely, yet the rumors regarding the Yankees are extremely unsettling. Pittsburgh needs bats, and trading away their best one would be really tough to justify. He has finally found a defensive position in Pittsburgh that he can handle and excel at. His power is unmatched on this team, as well as his speed. Trading Cruz would be the ultimate mistake by Ben Cherington, and could be his ticket out.

The Yankees have reportedly called the Pirates about Oneil Cruz, and their pursuit feels very real, given what the MLB insiders are hinting.

What would it from take the Yankees to acquire Cruz? Well, it absolutely should not be Carlos Lagrange as the headliner, a pitching prospect the Pirates have reportedly called about. Pittsburgh would definitely be trying to find bats to balance out the lineup with some of the Yankees' young pieces.

Perhaps a package of Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones, and Rafael Flores could be of the Pirates' dream interest. Dominguez is a former top prospect who is having a solid season in New York. Jones is labeled as the left-handed Aaron Judge, and has unleashed a ridiculous power surge in Triple-A with 13 home runs in 19 games. Flores has also just reached Triple-A and brings a strong OPS of .835.

Seeing Cruz mentioned as a trade candidate is really difficult to grasp for the fanbase. Even if a trade is not likely, it's very tough to see a plan in the front office right now as they attempt to get back on track. We can only hope that this is just anther one of the unusual deadline rumors that doesn't turn into anything.