The Yankees have shown past interest in Nationals center fielder Jacob Young, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, as relayed by MLB Trade Rumors. The detail that matters is how little is settled. MLB Trade Rumors says it is unclear whether the two clubs held formal talks or whether the Yankees were only doing due diligence. It adds that the Nationals were known to be exploring a trade of Young at an earlier point. The feed summary cuts off before saying when.
The other two outlets add little on that question. Yahoo Sports' roundup labels it an early or old trade rumor. Pinstripe Alley's version points to a conversation between Randy Miller and Bob Klapisch of NJ.com about general manager Brian Cashman's trades, free-agent signings and other roster moves. The summaries we have do not say whether Young came up in that conversation. None of them gives a price, a player the Nationals wanted, or a date for any contact. Sherman's report as summarized covers past interest only, and nothing we have points to a current negotiation.
Young's 2026 numbers show what the Yankees may have been looking at. He played 140 games in center field for Washington and hit .252 with 106 hits, 10 home runs, 50 RBI and a .708 OPS. That is an everyday center fielder with some power, but not a bat that carries a lineup. Whether that profile matched what New York wanted, the reporting does not say.
| G | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140 | 106 | 10 | 50 | .252 | .708 |
The standings explain why each side might care, though no outlet ties them to the rumor. The Yankees finished 93-68, second in the AL East. Their last three games on our books were losses to Tampa Bay: 1-0 on Oct. 3, 5-2 on Oct. 5 and 4-3 on Oct. 7. Washington was 77-85, fourth in the NL East. It won its last game of the regular season, 6-4 over the Mets on Sept. 27, after taking the Sept. 25 game 7-6 and losing on Sept. 26, 7-1.
What happens next is open. The reporting gives no sign of active talks and no timeline, so Young's situation is a question for the offseason. Nothing here shows whether Washington still wants to move him or whether New York's interest has outlasted whatever prompted it.
Discussion