The New York Yankees's World Series hopes may have suffered a big blow this week with the word that star pitcher Ivan Nova may be down and out for the season; this may force the Yankees' hand at the trade deadline this summer.

The Yankees have banked a lot-quite literally-on their offseason improvements around the roster, particularly their seven-year, $155 million deal for Masahiro Tanaka to bolster their pitching as they aim for their 28th World Series title. However, Nova may be out for the season after being diagnosed with a partially torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament).

If Nova requires Tommy John surgery, which has a very low recovery rate and is often considered a death sentence for pitchers' careers, it changes much for the Yankees, who were going to depend on Nova, 27, as part of the heart of their pitching rotation.

The potential long-term loss of Nova is going to leave a fairly big hole in the Yankees' pitching rotation, and a team with their eyes on the World Series simply cannot afford to have any holes in their roster. That leaves the Yankees with a big question to ponder this summer-should they pull the trigger on a trade midseason for a replacement hurler?

Keep this in mind: the core of the Yankees' success in years past was pitching. The late '90s dynasty has stud hurlers like David Cone, Roger Clemens, Orlando Hernandez, Andy Pettite, and David Wells, and that's just the short list of big arms. The last World Series team in 2009 had Pettite, CC Sabathia and a strong bullpen backing them up. New York is very aware of that, so a big move for a star pitcher around the deadline may very well be a possibility.

If so, the Yankees have a few key names that they can hone in on in the arms race:

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Max Scherzer

In terms of pitchers, this guy is the crème de la crème. Last season's AL Cy Young award winner is picking up right where he left off last year, currently ranked second in the majors in strikeouts (44) behind only Jose Fernandez, and with a 2-1 record in five starts. But perhaps most intriguingly, the fireball-hurling right-hander turned down what the Detroit Tigers called a "substantial" deal (aka a LOT of ka-ching) before the start of the season. The Tigers face a very real chance that arguably the best pitcher in the game right now could leave the Motor City with nothing after this fall. If it becomes clear that Scherzer isn't interested in returning to the Tigers, don't be surprised to see the Yankees emerge as a favorite to snag "Mad Max" at the midseason trade deadline.

Clayton Kershaw

The 26-year-old lefty might be hurting right now, but last year's NL Cy Young winner should be near or at the top of everyone's wish list this fall when he hits the free agency market, especially if he's healthy (and judging by his recent 6 2/3 inning,seven-strikeout performance in High-A Cucamonga this week, he's on the right track). The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely offer him a handsome salary to stay in the City of Angels, but if they start getting shaky on offering a bank-breaking contract to a pitcher coming off rehab, even if it's a great pitcher, the Yankees may have room to play "Let's Make a Deal" for Kershaw.

James Shields

He may not be young, but 32-year-old Shields is looking every bit the ace that he's been billed as over the last few years, ranking in the Top 10 among key AL pitching categories, including strikeouts, ERA, innings pitched and WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched). Shields can do a lot better with a stronger offense than what Kansas City's meager run support (75 team runs this season, third lowest among MLB teams) can provide him. Enter the Yankees, who have spent nearly $500 million to bolster their offense and their pitching staff, and have no qualms about doling out a big contract so as to lure the righty East to the Bronx. Adding Shields to a staff that includes CC Sabathia and Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka is a rather frightening prospect if you're in the American League; let's see if the Yankees make a few nightmares come true.

Homer Bailey

Don't let the big ERA and shaky 2014 start fool you. With the ability to finish late and continuing improvement with each passing year, the 27-year-old La Grange, Texas-born right-hander with the high upside is definitely going to be commanding the attention of a lot of teams when his contract expires at the end of this year. And the Cincinnati Reds, stuck in the same small-market trap that has cost those small teams big stars in the past, may not be able to afford Bailey, especially if he ends up having a big year. The Yankees could always use more youth and talent in their pitching rotation; after all, pitching was the foundation of their last five World Series-winning teams. And with the right offer, don't be surprised to see Bailey in pinstripes in 2015.

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