MLB Trade Rumors 2014 Updates: NY Yankees Close To Trading Ichiro Suzuki, Brett Gardner

The New York Yankees are reportedly set to trade either Brett Gardner or Ichiro Suzuki to address the surplus of outfielders on their roster, a reliable league source disclosed on Tuesday.

After signing outfielders Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury to lucrative deals, the Yankees are all set to send one of their veteran sluggers to a new team this week.

Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger reported the Yankees are leaning towards trading either the 30-year-old Gardner or the 40-year old Suzuki, the latter who has one year left in his two-year, $13 million deal.   

Keep Holding On

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman admitted he has received trade offers for Gardner, but remained firm in his stance to keep Gardner until the right time comes.

"According to Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger, the Yanks would be willing to trade Gardner in the right deal. General manager Brian Cashman has acknowledged that teams have reached out to him about the 30-year-old speedster, but his preference is to hold onto the center fielder," CBS Sports stated.

However, several baseball insiders indicated that there's a high chance the Yankees will be trading Gardner before the end of the week. If he stays put in the Big Apple, Suzuki will likely be the one traded.

"Ichiro is another trade candidate, according to the newspaper. Now 40 years old, the 10-time All-Star is not nearly the player he once was. The 2001 American League MVP - who is destined for a bench role if the Yankees don't move him - batted just .262 with seven homers and 35 RBIs in 150 games for New York in 2013. He posted an incredibly low .297 on-base percentage and stole 20 bases," according to the Star-Ledger via CBS Sports.

Trade Value

The Yankees have been aggressively shopping Suzuki during the winter meetings, but no team has shown interest in acquiring the aging hitter.

Suzuki, who turned 40 last October, batted just .262 in 555 plate appearances for the Yankees last season. Arguably one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, Suzuki is entitled to pocket $6.5 million next season.

"According to one rival executive, the Yankees have also mentioned Ichiro Suzuki's name in trade talks. There's no indication that any sort of Ichiro trade is close, and his trade value is minimal at best. One baseball source questioned how well Ichiro would adjust to a fourth outfielder role, which is the way most teams are likely to value him," NBC Sports reported.