The Yankees could be facing the most critical juncture in the last - (and the next) - 10 years.

Across the Yankiverse, there are whispers of a unicorn - a lefty hitter with a rifle arm, who grinds out walks, and roams left field like Brad Pitt at a DAR  convention. This mythical cryptid - if he exists - would instantly transform the mildewed, meager Yankee lineup, bringing light to places of darkness and hope to places of, well, Willie Calhoun.

We cannot assign a name to this player. He visits us in dreams, lurking overhead, just out of reach. He wants to help us. He wants to save the Yankees, the most prestigious franchise in American sports, before they sink into middling mediocrity.  

Is he real? Is he Memorex? Is there a way? And if so, what personal treasures would Hal Steinbrenner surrender to acquire such a champion? Or could the Yankees end up overpaying, selling their future for one fantastical, all-or-nothing shot at glory? 

I cannot remember a sharper crossroads than what the Yankees face over the next three weeks, as they head to the Aug. 1 trade deadline. 

Whatever they do, every move will come with enormous potential consequences, as the front office weighs a wild card chase against missing the postseason and losing New York City to the Mets - a cultural change that is already underway, and which might last for a decade.  

Comrades, this is big. What happens in the next three weeks will define your chances of living long enough to witness another Yankee world championship.

Some things to remember.

1. In trades, nobody ever helps the Yankees. If anything, when the Death Barge calls, rival GMs drive up their demands. Their fan bases despise New York - Gomorrah - and the notion of losing a trade to the Yankees will kill any front office career. Thus, the Yankees have a tendency to trade with a small handful of franchises - Pittsburgh, Texas, the Cubs. This year, each is still a contender. So... a relevant question: Will anybody deal with us? 

2. The whole Yankiverse hinges on a big toe. Aaron Judge's big toe. Is it blistered? Is it swollen? Can we see a picture? Would we want to see a picture? Does it have a cute little cast, maybe a smiley face painted on it? Could he do a Senor Wences bit, "S-all right? S-ALL RIGHT!"

Will it heal in time for Judge to regain his swing? Will it allow him to hit, even if he can't run? Will it compromise his swing, rendering him to flail at pitches? If he can hit but not run, would they DH him, putting Stanton into RF, where he looks like Mr. Magoo searching for his car keys. 

3. Will Luis Severino continue to be capital A Awful? I mean, we've seen bad pitchers - Colter Bean, Edwardo Ramirez, Scott Proctor at the end - but Sevy's epic portrayal of Mr. Hyde is ridiculous. By the 3rd inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is warming in the pen. Either Sevy self-corrects and becomes a serviceable No. 3, or the Yankees are screwed. We spent five years waiting on a ghost. 

4. Could they spin the wheel back to 2016 and go with youth? It's not as if they have a Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge to unveil, but there are options. 

Oswald Peraza, Estevan Florial, Ben Rortvedt - maybe Austin Wells - deserve a chance. (And Oswaldo Cabrera needs to return to Scranton and figure things out, because he's had more than enough chances.) 

In his second year at Scranton, Pereza is now officially wasting his time. Dude can play 2B or 3B. Let's see what he's got. 

Same with Florial in LF. Give him three weeks - 50 plate appearances. Even if he fails, he'll still be a defensive improvement.

And the offense needs a lefty platoon catcher. If that means trading Higgy or Trevino, both popular Yankees, so be it. Right now, we're going nowhere. 

If we just wait for the unicorn, it might be years.