Yankees next big move could be Hughes

Never mind Carlos Zambrano or Scott Kazmir. The New York Yankees next big move could be getting Phil Hughes back in the rotation.

This being the Yankees of course they are extremely likely to make some upgrades to the team before the trading deadline. But before he makes a splash on a big name in a major deal, Brian Cashman might wait to see how Hughes progresses in his attempt to return to the big leagues from his arm injury. Cashman might be inclined to wait in the hopes of not seeming desperate and getting fleeced by another team wanting one of his prized catching prospects.

The Yankees general manager might also wait in the hopes that Hughes turns out to the missing piece for a starting rotation that has held up surprisingly well during the first half of the 2011 baseball season. The early reports indicate that Hughes’ velocity is higher than it was when he went on the disabled list, which bodes well for the idea that his arm is healing nicely and he can come back in about two weeks and regain the form that made him an 18-game winner last year.

But even with Hughes coming back, I fully expect Cashman to make some type of deal to bolster his pitching depth. The GM has made good calls on Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon and could be hoping for some of the same magic with a guy like Zambrano. I just don’t expect Cashman to give up the moon to get him.