Report: Yankees scuttled deadline deal for Mets' Walker over medicals

The New York Yankees reportedly had a deal in place to acquire second baseman Neil Walker from the crosstown Mets ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, only to apparently back out at the last minute due to concerns over his medicals, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

A different view of the situation appears to be coming out of Queens, however. The Mets believe the Yankees used Walker's medicals as an excuse to get out of the deal after they acquired Sonny Gray from Oakland on July 31, Puma notes.

Walker, a free agent at season's end, spent over a month on the disabled list with a hamstring injury; he only returned to action July 28, some four days before the non-waiver deadline.

The Yankees have been missing their All-Star second baseman, Starlin Castro, since July 22 thanks to his own hamstring issues. Ronald Torreyes has filled in for Castro since he went on the DL.

The Yankees and Mets have not made a player-for-player deal in 13 years, but for much of this summer an all-New York trade has appeared likely. Besides their interest in Walker, the Yankees were reportedly chasing outfielder Jay Bruce, who the Mets dealt to Cleveland on Wednesday. They apparently offered the Mets multiple prospects for the 30-year-old slugger, but lost out when the Indians offered to pay all of Bruce's remaining salary in exchange for trading a lesser prospect.

The Bronx Bombers also reportedly reached out to the Mets about first baseman Lucas Duda and reliever Addison Reed last month. Both players were dealt by the Mets before the non-waiver deadline to the Rays and Red Sox, respectively.