I think it's fair to say that not even the most die-hard fan could have seen this coming. With 36 games under their belt, the New York yankees currently own the third best record in the MLB at 23-13. Only the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros have better records.

What makes this phenomenal start so miraculous is the fact that most baseball analysts and experts dubbed the 2017 season as a "rebuilding year" for the Yankees. Normally when a team's season is considered a "rebuilding year", that's essentially the polite way of saying they most likely wont make the postseason.

However, not only do the Yankees look like they're on a collision course for October baseball, but they also look like a team that could very well represent the American League in the World Series.

With the future looking so bright, one can't help but wonder if the team will be up to their usual wheeling and dealing antics by the Trade Deadline. Well, according to owner Hal Steinbrenner, it seems to be an inevitability, but only at the right price.

Future Over Present

Over the last 20 years, the Yankees have shown a propensity for dealing away their own prospects for a quick fix.

The team's "win now" mentality has been a source of both frustration and excitement for fans. However, in the last five seasons, it has mostly been the former in which the team has prioritized over-priced signings of players either past their primes, or on their way to it, instead of stocking up their own farm system. Because of this, the Yankees have only made two playoffs appearances since 2012.

With the teams "win now" mentality clearly being detrimental to any substantial success, last season Yankee management finally decided to commit to their farm system which has proven to be a savvy move. Between the incredible power surge displayed by catcher Gary Sanchez last season, the absolutely awe-inspiring start right fielder Aaron Judge has had, and the abundance of top tier prospects the Yankees traded for last year, the sky is the limit for the Baby Bombers.

It is because of this commitment to their youth movement that Steinbrenner has made it abundantly clear that the team has no interest in trading away any of their top prospects. Although team management is putting up a tough front concerning this issue, it certainly wouldn't be out of character for someone like Steinbrenner to disregard this statement if given the right deal.

Pitching, Pitching, and Pitching

Despite the Yankees impressive start, it's become fairly clear early on that the team's starting pitching may be an area of concern. Even before the start of the season, fans and analysts alike were well aware that starting pitching would be the biggest issue. Although it has proven to be the team's greatest weakness, it has also been one of the biggest surprises as well.

Thanks to the incredible bounce-back years Michael Pineda and Luis Severino are having, as well as the superb debut of rookie starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery, the Yankees have managed to stay on top of the American League East. However, Masahiro Tanaka and CC Sabathia, despite having some solid performances, haven't exactly been pulling their weight so far this season. While Pineda, Severino, and Montgomery have proven to be reliable, the team's starting pitching as a whole just simply isn't adequate enough to make a World Series run.

If the Yankees are going to make any move by the trade deadline, there's no doubt that it will be for another starting pitcher. it's questionable to say the least who exactly will be available and the price tag the Yankees will be willing to pay.

But if it seems clear by the trade deadline that the team has a more than realistic shot to reach the World Series, don't be the least bit surprised to see Steinbrenner go all out for an elite starting pitcher.
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