The Deadline has come and gone and the Yankees made a plethora of trades. The ATB Yankees team is here to give you their thoughts on Cashman’s week. Luke, Sanket, and Peter will all be grading every trade made by The Yankees this week.
Yankees receive RHP Clay Holmes from Pirates for Hoy Park and Diego Castillo.
Luke’s Grade: B+
Listen, Hoy Park is my guy, but this was a great move. With rumors that the analytics department hates him, it was best for him to get move. I hope Hoy Park succeeds with he struggling Pirates. Holmes is a contact manager, something the Yankees needed, Holmes will thrive in our bullpen. This is a great trade for the Yankees
Peter’s Grade: B-
This is not the most exciting trade the Yankees have made, but it adds an arm with a good potential to the pen. Holmes, who is 28 will not be a free agent until 2025. Holmes has struggled this year but has a SIERA of 3.72 on the year and 3.78 FIP. His high groundball rate of 73.1% is what stood out to the Yankees the most as they try to stock up on arms that keep the ball on the ground. The Yankees sold high on Park, who is 25 and hitting .327 at AAA Scranton prior to the trade. As for Castillo he is a 23-year-old lower-level prospect who has a .682 OPS in his 6-year minor league career. Overall, the Yankees traded two players who likely did not have a future in New York for a controlled reliever who can offer immediate help.
Sanket’s Grade: B
I know many fans were upset to see Hoy Park leave considering the fact that’s he’s been raking in the minors. However, there was no place for him on the major league infield. He has some experience in the OF, but not enough to where he can be trusted. Getting back Clay Holmes, who has the highest ground ball percentage in MLB, was great especially considering the next move that the front office made.
Yankees trade LHP Justin Wilson and RHP Luis Cessa to the Reds for a player to be named later.
Luke’s Grade: B-
This trade its self, stunk. However, if you look at it with the Holmes trade this is a good move. The Yankees wanted to trade Wilson, Cessa is collateral. A PTBNL is a clear sign of a salary dump. This opened up room for the rest of the trades the Yankees made. Cessa’s goodbye message made me tear up a bit not going to lie.
Peter’s Grade: C-
This trade looks to be a pure salary dump of Wilson’s $2.6M AAV and attaching Cessa to make it worthwhile for the Reds. There is not much to say about this other than it allowed the Yankees more flexibility to make moves and stay under the luxury tax number. Hal Steinbrenner has been adamant about resetting the tax penalty this season and this allowed them to do that. The only reason this is a C- and not a D or F is because of the moves that followed.
Sanket’s Grade: B-
Getting rid of the contract of Justin Wilson was a huge plus for Brian Cashman. Wilson had been struggling this year and had a player option for next year. This trade gets a B because the Yankees had to throw in Cessa to get the Reds to accept but it is a price worth paying. The addition of Holmes helps to cancel out the loss of Cessa.
Yankees acquire OF Joey Gallo and LHP Joely Rodriguez from the Rangers for RHP Glenn Otto, 2B Josh Smith, SS Ezequiel Duran and 2B Trevor Hauver.
Luke’s Grade: A+
I have been peddling the Gallo wagon for a long time. Finally it happened and we gave up a lot less than I thought. Gallo was in a slump before he got traded so it’s going to take him some time to get going. As for the prospects the Yankees gave up, none were super amazing, it only hurts because of how many there were.
Peter’s Grade: A
The Yankees did not have to part ways with a top 10 prospect and got the Rangers to eat money in the deal. Gallo has a wRC+ of 135 which would rank 2nd of Yankee starters while adding phenomenal outfield defense providing 14 DRS on the year. Gallo will slot into the top of the order nicely with his .374 OBP and provides a lefty bat the Yankees desperately need. The Yankees also acquired Joely Rodriguez who has struggled this year with a 5.93 ERA. Much like Holmes the Yankees are counting on him bouncing back and look to his groundball rate of 63.9% and a 3.41 SIERA. He will also fill the role of a lefty specialist after Justin Wilson’s departure. As for the prospects given up, they all have solid potential, but it is a win for the Yankees.
Sanket’s Grade: A+
Brian Cashman did not hesitate when trying to acquire Joey Gallo. He got the much needed left handed power bat for the Yankees. A huge plus is also that Gallo plays exceptional defense in the OF and has a great arm. The Yankees also get back Joely Rodriguez, a LHP that can be an option for them in the bullpen. They gave up 4 prospects who were buried down in the system, but are thought of very highly by executives and scouts. A balanced trade for both teams.
Yankees trade for 1B Anthony Rizzo from the Cubs for RHP Alexander Vizcaino and CF Kevin Alcantara.
Luke’s Grade: A-
This trade is as fair as fair gets. Yankees get a veteran who has been to the big show, the Cubs get 2 guys to start their rebuild. Rizzo’s defenses is a consistency the Yankees needed, and is first weekend has made him a cult hero in NYC. People are already calling for him to be extended and I agree.
Peter’s Grade: B+
Rizzo is slashing .256/.358/.470 with 16 home runs and a 124 wRC+ on the season and should only improve playing in Yankee Stadium. The addition allows them to give some players more rest down the stretch and DH Luke Voit and move Stanton to LF which is a position the Yankees have lacked production from. To get Rizzo the Yankees parted with RHP Alexander Vizcaino and CF Kevin Alcantara. Vizcaino is a 24-year-old starting pitcher with a career minor league ERA of 4.95. As for Alcantara he seems to be the main piece Chicago wanted. The 19-year-old OF is slashing .357/.455/.500 in the minors and had drawn attention from fans and teams in 2021. Rizzo has made quite the impression this past weekend by playing a big part in all 3 wins, but I will grade this a B+ because as of right now Rizzo is a true rental.
Sanket’s Grade: A
Wow. Almost nobody saw this coming. Throughout the week it seemed as if Rizzo was headed for BOS due to their need of a 1B. Instead, the Yankees swooped in and nabbed the lefty first baseman. Having two powerful left handed hitters is a huge plus for a Yankees lineup that’s been right hand dominant for the past few years. The Yankees likely shifted to Rizzo after talks with the Rockies for Trevor Story weren’t progressing anywhere. Great job by Brian Cashman.
Yankees acquire LHP Andrew Heaney from the Angels RHP Janson Junk and RHP Elvis Peguero.
Luke’s Grade: C-
I mean. I’ll give the guy a chance… but a guy with a high ERA for two decent prospects feel wrong. I really have nothing to say other than we need Heaney to step up with Cole and Monty out now.
Peter’s Grade: C+
This is another case of the Yankees buying low on an arm they think will bounce back down the stretch. Heaney has a 5.27 ERA in 94 innings in 2021, but his SIERA is 3.72 and his FIP is 4.05 so there is reason to believe he will improve. Heaney will be slotted into the rotation for the time being and will likely stay in a spot starter or long relief role once Luis Severino and Domingo German return from injury. Peguero and Junk are both having solid seasons in 2021, but they still rank below several Yankee pitching prospects and were not highly touted arms. The Yankees added someone who can eat innings at the least and could even develop into an effective arm down the stretch at a low cost. It is not a fancy move, but one that fans might look back on in a few months.
Sanket’s Grade: C+
Many fans thought the Yankees would make a splash move for a high end starting pitcher or another bat. Instead, Brian Cashman gets Andrew Heaney. Heaney does not have a good ERA this season but he does have some potential to be a quality starter in the Yankees rotation until Severino and Kluber come back. I would expect him to become a long reliever for the Yankees later in the season. The Yankees likely had their eyes on Jose Berrios, but weren’t willing to one up the Toronto Blue Jays who gave up their #2 and #4 prospects to get him.
The trade deadline was a success. Now the Yankees make look to make a playoff push as the season comes to a close.
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