New York Yankees are making it clear at MLB trade deadline: World Series or bust | Opinion
The New York Yankees have been sitting atop the baseball world all season, but were much more worried about their team than they ever publicly revealed.
They didn’t believe they had a starting rotation strong enough to get past the Houston Astros in the American League with ace Gerrit Cole and his backup band.
They were petrified that All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman may never bounce back. They questioned whether Clay Holmes could sustain his stunning success throughout October. They long gave up on Joey Gallo.
So, what did they do?
They grabbed Oakland A’s ace Frankie Montas on Monday when they couldn’t get Cincinnati Reds ace Luis Castillo.
They passed on Brewers All-Star closer Josh Hader, who went to San Diego, but turned around and acquired A’s closer Lou Trivino in the Montas trade.
They acquired Cubs rookie reliever Scott Effross, too.
They’re out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but acquired Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals last week.
And Monday were standing tall as kings of the trade deadline, well, until the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers or St. Louis Cardinals acquire Soto.
It was an unreal haul, fixing a variety of needs. They needed another front-line starter with All-Star Nestor Cortes (9-3, 2.53 ERA) having already pitched a career-high 106.2 innings. Starter Luis Severino isn’t expected to return until September from his lat strain. James Taillon (10-2, 3.93 ERA) is yielding a 6.98 ERA with an .890 OPS in his last six starts. Chapman has been a shell of himself. Holmes is yielding a 9.95 ERA in his past seven outings, giving up six hits, seven earned runs and seven walks in 6 1/3 innings. And Gallo has been a lost cause.
Now, after Yankees GM Brian Cashman’s array of moves, they feel a whole lot more comfortable heading into October where they’re trying to win their first World Series championship since 2009.
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The Yankees have traded 33 minor leaguers since the start of 2021, including eight in the past six days, but still were able to complete their menu of needs without giving up either of their prized shortstop prospects: Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza.
The biggest prized prospect the Yankees gave up in the A’s trade was starter Ken Waldichuk, their fourth-best prospect, who could be a front-line starter, striking out 116 batters in 76⅓ innings at Class AA Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees also gave up their No. 7 prospect, Hayden Wesneski, in the Effross trade. Wesneski was 6-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 19 starters at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
That’s seven pitching prospects gone in a week.
Still, prospects are prospects.
They land you on the cover of Baseball America.
Star players are the ones who land you on a World Series parade float.
Follow Bob Nightengale on Twitter @Bnightengale.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Yankees' trade deadline moves designed for World Series run
