It’s no secret that the Red Sox’s trade of Rafael Devers to the Giants impacts the Yankees in a variety of ways. The first way it impacts them is the most obvious: Devers is no longer in the division, and the Red Sox are worse because of it. But the second impact is arguably just as important.

By trading Devers to the Giants, the Red Sox made the National League West even tougher, which can end up helping the Yankees at the trade deadline.

The Dodgers, Giants and Padres all currently hold postseason spots in a loaded division, which means they should all be buyers at this year’s trade deadline.

And then there’s the Diamondbacks. Two seasons ago, the Diamondbacks made it to the World Series against the Texas Rangers. Now most of that core could be for sale, and the Yankees could take advantage.

If the Diamondbacks do choose to sell while trying to navigate this increasingly impossible environment, they’ll have plenty of players that would make for attractive trade chips, namely first baseman Josh Naylor, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitcher Zac Gallen, among others. Suárez being available, in particular, would be massively important to the Yankees.

As Robert Murray wrote last week:

They have plenty of intriguing trade assets such as right-handers Merrill Kelly and Shelby Miller and sluggers Eugenio Suárez, Randal Grichuk and Josh Naylor. But no trade piece is as intriguing as right-hander Zac Gallen. Gallen is in the final season of his contract with the Diamondbacks. When Arizona signed Corbin Burnes, it signaled that Gallen was unlikely to return to Arizona on a long-term contract. With Burnes sidelined until perhaps 2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery this week, perhaps the team’s thinking changed. But it’s entirely possible that Gallen is entering his final weeks in Arizona.”

The Yankees should be licking their lips. The idea of Suárez being on the block should be music to Brian Cashman’s ears, as New York’s third baseman have combined for a wRC+ of just 86 this year. Meanwhile, Suárez, an impending free agent, has mashed 21 home runs this year and is just three home runs from 300 in his career.

He has a career .537 slugging percentage in 12 games at Yankee Stadium, and would add some much needed thump to the middle of the Yankees lineup.

The same could be said for Naylor in a vacuum, though it’s worth wondering if the team would trade for him given his… history with the Yankees. An All-Star last year, Naylor’s in the midst of a great season (.302 average with 49 RBI), and would be a solid left-handed bat in the Yankees’ right-handed heavy lineup. Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice holding down first base – while Giancarlo Stanton returns – makes this fit increasingly unlikely, pending an interruption.

And then there’s Gallen. Although he has a 5.19 ERA this season, he’s a one-time All-Star with a career ERA of 3.47 in 902 innings. The Yankees need starting pitching, and Gallen would fill that hole. And that’s not to say anything about the bullpen arms of Shelby Miller and Jalen Beeks.

If the Diamondbacks choose to sell at the deadline, they should have plenty of teams calling about their impending free agents.

And, at this point, it seems like a lock that the Yankees will be one of them.