ARLINGTON, Texas — The Yankees and White Sox have been talking since February about making a deal, and those discussions will likely continue until Thursday’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.
With the Yankees looking for starting pitcher and outfield help and the White Sox possessing lefty John Danks and outfielder Dayan Viciedo and needing catching, there has been reason for the clubs to chat.
White Sox scout Joe Butler recently followed the Yankees’ Double-A Trenton club, which has catchers Gary Sanchez and Pete O’Brien on its roster, although O’Brien had played more games at first (27) than behind the plate (18).
The White Sox think very highly of John Ryan Murphy, who is catching at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. They have Murphy ranked ahead of Francisco Cervelli among Yankees catchers with Sanchez third.
The Yankees don’t seem to be panting for Danks, who is on pace to throw 200 innings two years after shoulder surgery, and may not want to part with Murphy, whom they are very high on. From the White Sox side they likely would want more than just a catcher.
Since Danks is signed through 2016, he will cost more than a two-month rental, and considering CC Sabathia’s future and the still-to-be-determined seriousness of Masahiro Tanaka’s right elbow injury, Danks could provide coverage to a rotation that could lose Hiroki Kuroda to retirement.
Danks, 29, makes $14.25 million this year, $14.25 million next year and $14.25 in 2016.
He is 9-6 with a 4.40 ERA this year and 70-80 with a 4.22 ERA in eight big league seasons.
The right-handed-hitting Viciedo, 25, is batting .238 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs in 102 games. He is making $2.8 million and arbitration eligible.
The Yankees have been looking for a right-handed outfielder since letting Alfonso Soriano go in early July.