The talk has been going on for at least a month. Many fans thought the New York Yankees, rich in relief pitching but too far down in the standings, would be willing to trade some of their assets before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.
In particular, closer Aroldis Chapman and setup man Andrew Miller were the team's most desirable trade chips. The flamethrowing Chapman was almost certain to be on the market because he's set to become a free agent in the offseason.
However, there seemed to be some doubt coming from the Yankees' ownership box.