The Non-Waiver Trade Deadline has come and gone. The Yankees didn't make a huge splash like everyone may have thought they would, however they made a couple key acquisitions and some head-scratching trades for International Bonus Pool money. It has been a few weeks since the trade deadline, and I want to evaluate how each player has done since they were traded, and which team won the trade. Here are each of the moves below:
Trade #1
Yankees get:
LHP Zach Britton
Yankees: 8G, 0-0, 7.36 ERA, 7.1 IP, 6R, 6ER, 1HR, 6BB, 7SO
Orioles get: Prospects -
RHP Dillon Tate
(AA Bowie): 3G, 0-2, 7.27 ERA, 17.1 IP, 15R, 14ER, 3HR, 4BB, 6SO
RHP Cody Carroll
(AAA Norfolk): 2G, 1-0, 4.50 ERA, 2.0 IP, 1R, 1ER, 0HR, 0BB, 2SO
Orioles: 5G, 0-1, 5.79 ERA, 4.2 IP, 3R, 3ER, 0HR, 6BB, 2SO
LHP Josh Rogers
(AAA Norfolk): 4G, 2-1, 1.42 ERA, 25.1 IP, 6R, 4ER, 1HR, 6BB, 16SO
Zach Britton has struggled since becoming a Yankee. He is purely a rental and has not performed to the caliber the Yankees have expected since being acquired. Britton had surgery on his right Achilles back in February and hasn't quite been his dominant self since returning. Hopefully he can right the ship down the stretch and become the asset the Yankees sought out to acquire. Tate and Carroll have struggled since being acquired by Baltimore, but Josh Rogers has thrived in AAA. I feel that because Britton has struggled so much, this tips the scales in favor of Baltimore.
Trade #2
Yankees get:
LHP J.A. Happ
Yankees: 3G, 3-0, 1.89 ERA, 19.0 IP, 4R, 4ER, 2HR, 6BB, 15SO
Blue Jays get:
INF Brandon Drury (Currently on 10-day DL)
Blue Jays: 8G, 26AB, .154 AVG, 0HR, 3R, 3RBI
OF Billy McKinney
(AAA Buffalo): 19G, 61AB, .213 AVG, 3HR, 9R, 8RBI
Outside of contracting Hand, foot and mouth disease since coming over to the Yankees, Happ has been nothing short of spectacular. He has really helped stabilize the chaotic Yankees starting rotation. Brandon Drury has struggled since he was sent over to Toronto, but it all could be due to fractured bone in his left hand - which happened prior to being traded, x-rays didn't signify any fracture, and Toronto accepted the trade, besides, acquiring Drury was more of a move for the future, as Donaldson will likely sign elsewhere in the offseason. McKinney has struggled in AAA Buffalo since the trade as well, so I would vote that the Yankees won this trade.
Trade #3
Yankees get:
1B Luke Voit
Yankees: 5G, 16AB, .188 AVG, 0HR, 1R, 2RBI
(AAA Scranton/WB): 3G, 10AB, .300 AVG, 0HR, 0R, 0RBI
Cardinals get:
LHP Chasen Shreve
Cardinals: 6G, 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 5.1 IP, 1R, 1ER, 1HR, 1BB, 7SO
RHP Giovanny Gallegos
(AAA Memphis): 6G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.2 IP, 0R, 0ER, 0HR, 3BB, 6SO
Still trying to understand the rationale behind this move. Before this was made, the Yankees had yet to deal Tyler Austin, so it was more perplexing. But, still... I guess Voit was playing well and the Yankees were hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, since their production at first base has been less than ideal? Regardless, before being traded, Shreve was having a less than stellar season and many Yankees General Manager's on Twitter were calling for his departure. He has pitched well since the trade, and it looks like Gallegos has as well. On paper, based on stats and the lack of production from Voit AND Shreve's replacement (Britton) the Cardinals won this trade.
Trade #4
Yankees get:
$1.25 Million International Bonus Pool Money
Mariners get:
RHP Adam Warren
Mariners: 7G, 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 5.2 IP, 2R, 2ER, 0HR, 6BB, 4SO
Mariners won this trade. The Yankees ran into some bullpen issues last week against Boston, and really could have used Adam Warren. Warren has been a key part of the bullpen for a while and it was a shock to see him traded - especially for pool money. Still scratching my head... because now his replacement is Sonny Gray... chalk up a W for the Mariners here.
Trade #5
Yankees get:
RHP Lance Lynn
3G, 1-0, 0.54 ERA, 16.2 IP, 1R, 1ER, 0HR, 4BB, 22SO
Twins get:
1B/OF Tyler Austin
(AAA Rochester): 9G, 38AB, .263 AVG, 3HR, 6R, 8RBI
Twins: 3G, 10AB, .200 AVG, 1HR, 1R, 2RBI
RHP Luis Rivas
Stats not available.
Lance Lynn has been lights out for the Yankees since coming over. He took over Sonny Gray's rotation spot - and I think we all can admit that we don't miss Gray in the rotation. When the Yankees traded Tyler Austin he was with their AAA affiliate, who happened to be playing against Rochester. Austin simply switched dugouts - and played 9 games with Rochester before the Twins called him up. He has only played a couple games and hasn't really done much on the MLB level yet, but played relatively well for AAA. But, the fact of the matter is that Lynn has outperformed expectations which allows the Yankees to be the winner of this trade.
As you can see, they dealt a number of younger guys in order to add to the depth of the pitching staff. With injuries to Aaron Judge (Right wrist fracture), Gary Sanchez (Right groin strain) and Clint Frazier (concussion protocol) the Yankees were expected to add another bat, but did not. It was rumored that the asking prices were too great for any of the bats Cashman was trying to acquire. Maybe that will change before the August 31st Waiver deadline. As of late, Giancarlo Stanton has been dealing with some leg issues and has remained the DH. This means Boone has been running the likes of Shane Robinson and Neil Walker out in Right Field. It's kind of ironic, because Clint Frazier has been waiting for his shot, and because of his injury is missing out on valuable playing time. And, if the Yankees still had Drury, McKinney, and/or Austin they would surely be getting some playing time over Shane Robinson. As of two days ago, Curtis Granderson was placed on waivers, making it a little bit easier for the Yankees to potentially re-acquire the veteran slugger. Could a reunion be in the works? What would you give up for Granderson? Do you even want Granderson? Grandy-man is batting .231 with 10 homers and 31 RBI for Toronto this year... it's not what you want, but in the "grandy" scheme of things, that's better production than Shane Robinson. With the timetable for Judge to return in question, I would personally rather have Granderson's veteran presence out there. But, you could also argue that Neil Walker has been producing more of late, and maybe the Yankees should stick with the him and not even make a trade at all... though Walker is slumping over his last seven games (.179AVG, 2HR, 3RBI) - is this slump short lived? Or is he reverting back to the quality of play from the first half of the season? There aren't many options out there... let's hope Judge and Frazier get healthy soon and shake off the rust quickly. Although, as of yesterday, Cashman and the Yankees announced that the 3-week timetable for a Judge return no longer applies and that his recovery is taking a little longer than anticipated. We need Judge pain-free... as much as we all want and need him back, it's more important he can play with no-pain. So, this could influence a trade now, or keep Walker out there even longer.
As for pitching, the Yankees will have plenty of in-house options down the stretch. They can rotate in Chance Adams, Jonathan Loaisiga, Domingo German, Luis Cessa, and Justus Sheffield to give starters extra days rest and hopefully preserve some arms for any playoff baseball. Brian Cashman did a spot with Mike Francessa earlier this afternoon and confirmed Cessa (started last night vs. Tampa Bay), Sheffield, Tommy Kahnle, Stephen Tarpley, and Erik Swanson could all be viable "in-house" options to help with the pitching staff down the stretch. I personally think the Luis Cessa and Domingo German experiments have run their course. The Yankees need to give Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield a shot - the former have not adequately proven themselves.
Now we are getting closer to crunch time... the Yankees need to beat the weaker teams and keep winning against the good teams. Last night's loss did not help... and Boston has proven that they are the real deal, and are on-pace for 111 wins (according to FiveThirtyEight.com), while the Yankees are on pace for 101. Crazy that a team could win 101 games and still lose the division by 11 games - that's how good Boston has been this season. It pains me to say that. So the Yankees seem destined for the Wild Card game. But, who will they play? If the season ended today, they would play the Red-Hot Oakland A's. The A's are only 2.0 games behind the Astros in the AL West, and the Mariners are only 2.5 games behind Oakland. Looks like the AL West might end up being a photo finish. All the more reason the Yankees need to keep winning games. Any game. All games that they can and hold on to that home field advantage in the Wild Card game. They need to also hope that either Houston can remain in first place OR both Oakland AND Seattle keep playing well and knock them out of the playoffs all together. You know if the Yankees face Houston in a 1-game Wild Card, that is worst-case scenario. Especially if they throw Cole or Verlander... especially Verlander. Since his trade to Houston he is Yankee kryptonite.
Please let me know what you are thinking, and what the Yankees should do down the stretch with their pitching staff and with potentially adding another bat.