Yankees Rumors: Aaron Judge's Instagram story with former Cy Young winner sparks trade target speculations

New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge may have just hinted at whom he wants his team to sign. The 31-year-old recently put up an Instagram story of himself with San Diego Pardes pitcher Blake Snell, sparking trade speculations.

It was originally Snell who made a big deal of catching up with Judge this weekend at Yankee Stadium. However, Judge returned the favor by responding to the Padres star.

Snell won the Cy Young Award and All-Star honors in 2018 when he played for the Tampa Bay Rays. The left-handed pitcher was traded to the Padres in 2021 and is currently in the final year of his $50 million contract.

With the Yankees keen on luring in a pitcher this season, Snell could be an option if San Diego decides to offload him at the right price.

This season, Snell has managed a fairly decent 61 strikeouts and 34 walks in 56 innings pitched at a 4.50 ERA. However, the Yankees could do with a consistent pitcher in their ranks.

Aaron Boone's side has been dealt with injuries to key pitchers this season but the Yankees general manager will be keeping tabs on a few pitching options in the next few weeks to bolster their department for the remainder of the season.

Aaron Judge's stats in the 2023 MLB season

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge has enjoyed a stellar start to the 2023 MLB season so far. The New York Yankees hitter has racked up 50 hits and 18 home runs in 168 at-bats with a .298 average.

Judge missed a few games for the Yankees last month but his return has come as a timely boost for the franchise. The Bronx Bombers are currently third in the AL East with 34 wins and 24 defeats.

Qualifying for the playoffs will be the bare minimum target for the Yankees, but there's still a long way to go before the regular season comes to a close.