Via MLBTR, the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Diamondbacks closer Chad Qualls. The bullpen has been tremendous of late, but if Brian Bruney continues to struggle and Phil Hughes has to rejoin the rotation for whatever reason, all of a sudden the team is in need of a late game reliever. Qualls has all the qualities you’d want in a relief pitcher – high strikeouts (8.2 K/9), low walks (1.1 BB/9), high groundballs (3.56 GB/FB) – but he’s struggled of late, pitching to a 5.32 ERA and a .810 OPS against since earlier May. He’ll be a free agent after 2010.

The D-Backs are in complete freefall, sporting the worst record in the game (non-Natinals division) and winning just 6 of their last 22 games. They should be in full blown sell-off mode in short order, making everyone not named Upton or Haren available.