The case for the New York Yankees to “soft buy” swept the Beat Writer-verse on Monday and Tuesday, with the locals tempering expectations as the big club continues to flounder. If that ends up being the case, and the Yankees do hold onto their top assets without sacrificing future flexibility, that either means Jim Bowden’s final guess was wildly inaccurate or the prices dropped.

The extremely plugged in Joel Sherman — who predicted both the Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario additions — seems to fall somewhere in between. The Yankees need pitching to survive, and his two-days-out deadline projection involved building up that essential depth: “They’d love to get at least one starter, two would be perfect. They’d love to get two relievers, one lefty, three would be perfect.”

We’ll split the difference between the doomers and eternal optimists and say that the Yankees won’t sit idly by over the next 48 hours, and will infuse the pitching staff with the multiple cortisone shots it currently demands.

The highest-upside-possible name you might hear connected to them before the final bell rings came from Bowden on Tuesday, who believes the Yankees will wind up with Zac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ex-MLB GM Jim Bowden thinks Yankees will land Zac Gallen at trade deadline

Pros of a Gallen deal include:

• Familiarity. The Yankees and Diamondbacks have already discussed Eugenio Suárez, and may be able to come to an accord on a cheaper target.
• Cost. Gallen’s on the downswing of his D-Backs tenure as a rental. Do the Yankees believe his 5.60 ERA is indicative of a foundational slip, or can he be easily salvaged? The ask cannot be astronomical here.

Cons? Well, those are clear, too.

• Did we mention he currently has a 5.60 ERA? The Yankees are slipping closer to the edge of the playoff race. They possess one of the game’s most plainly slumping staffs, and don’t have a cushion during Gallen’s “get right” period. He has to get right. Now.
• Adding Gallen does nothing for the 2026 Yankees, in all likelihood a more important team than the 2025 one.

Merrill Kelly is the safer rental in Arizona, but he’s a sturdy No. 3. If you can harness Gallen, he’s a fire-breathing righty ace who can complement the lefties atop the Yankees rotation in Carlos Rodón and Max Fried.

Plus, his best work of 2025 came at Yankee Stadium in his second start of the season: 6 2/3 innings, three hits, no runs, 13 strikeouts. Maybe the Somerdale, NJ native would be rejuvenated by a trip out east. Given the desperate state of the Yankees, it could be worth finding out — but they’ll be hoping for another half-miracle.