July was not the kindest to the Yankees.
After a 56-21 start to the season, the Bronx Bombers played just .500 baseball, going 13-13 in 26 games over the month. They still hold an 11.5 game lead over Toronto, but there were some glaring issues that needed to be addressed at the August 2 trade deadline.
Coming off a two-game series with the Mets in which Jordan Montgomery and Domingo German were the starters, another starting pitcher was clearly needed. The Yankees also required an outfield bat, because the strikeout-prone Joey Gallo and the consistent disappointment Aaron Hicks were each hitting right around .200.
Following the tough Subway Series losses in what could possibly be a World Series preview, the Yankees announced a trade for former Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Kansas City Royals.
Before the deal, Benintendi was third in the league in hitting with a .320 batting average He was actually traded as Kansas City was coming into New York, so he had to debut against his old team.
In the six games he’s played since being traded as of Tuesday night, however, he is just 1-17 with 7 walks and 6 strikeouts; definitely not the player the Yankees were thinking they were getting, but he could simply just be off to a slow start.
The biggest move made by the Yankees at the deadline itself was for pitcher Frankie Montas from the Oakland Athletics. Montas has top of the rotation talent, and is under control for the next two seasons after this current one. On an atrocious A’s team, Montas was 4-9 with a reasonable 3.18 ERA and 109 batter struck out in 104 innings pitched.
In the deal, the Yankees also got bullpen help and did it all without giving up their three top prospects, Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, and Jasson Dominguez.
The moves made, players given up, and players not given up is a commendable trifecta by Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman. He was able to better the team while keeping the bright future they have in the minor leagues.
Cashman was able to reinforce the minors a little bit too by trading away Joey Gallo to the Dodgers for their 15th-ranked prospect, Clayton Beeter. The right-handed pitcher is now the Yankees’ No. 10 prospect. All his pitches are graded at very high levels; he will just need to work on command to throw more strikes.
The trade with the A’s for Frankie Montas also helped the Bronx Bombers bolster their bullpen, as the deal in which JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina, and Cooper Bowman departed brought them back relief pitcher Lou Trivino.
Trivino struck out 45 in 32 innings with the A’s, but had a 6.34 ERA. The Yankees hope a few sit downs with their esteemed pitching coach, Matt Blake, will turn Trivino back into the reliable weapon the back of his baseball card says he is.
The Yankees added further relief depth by acquiring the sidearm-slinging Scott Effross from the Chicago Cubs. Effross is having a nice year in his second season. He brings with him a 1-4 record, 2.62 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 44 innings.
Trivino and Effross look to replenish a Yankee bullpen that has fared well thus far, but has started to show fatigue of late.
The final trade, made in the 11th hour, was a bit of a head scratcher, though. The Yankees sent rotation mainstay Jordan Montgomery to the St. Louis Cardinals for center fielder Harrison Bader.
The Yankees have needed pitching, and Montgomery, though he has struggled a bit this year, was a staple in the rotation. The confusing part is: what do the Yankees do with Bader?
Bader is from Bronxville, NY and is a premiere center fielder, but is currently on the injured list with plantar fasciitis. When he returns, it is unclear how the Yankees will deploy him.
The trade for Andrew Benintendi solved the outfield need, and the Yankees will be getting Giancarlo Stanton back soon enough. The options seem to be, Aaron Hicks and his .223 batting average will not make the playoff roster, or insurance for Aaron Judge should he not sign back, or be relegated to less center field duties and more at his primary right field post as the calendar turns over to October.
Bader is a nice player, but he is not in the same universe as Judge who has cemented himself as the uncontested American League MVP from the onset of the season. Judge hit the third most home runs ever by a player before August when he slugged his 43rd of the season against the Royals last Saturday. He has hit 10 home runs since the All-Star break, and has hit over .400, also tallying 17 RBI for an unreal season total of 93, all before the month of August.
The Yankees are looking to make a push for their 28th World Series championship, and they’ll most certainly get there if Judge can continue to play in this way.
