Yankees Add Another Ace: Javier Vazquez Headed To New York From Atlanta

Now that the latest MLB Hot Stove season trade is officially in the books, we can begin to delve deeper into who won (the Yankees) and who was just trying to get rid of some salary and hoping that one of these prospects pans out (the Braves).

SB Nation’s Pinstripe Alley is quick to point out that Javier Vazquez probably won’t repeat the success he had in 2009 (ERA+ 143 with Atlanta), especially since he’ll now be in the American League (the AL East, no less). But it is reasonable to think that Vazquez could put up numbers similar to his three years with the White Sox (ERA+ of 106, never pitching fewer than 202 2/3 innings in a season or striking out fewer than 184 batters). What’s it all mean? The Yankees starting rotation is going to be stacked.

Our Braves blog, Talking Chop, is all over Tuesday’s trade with the Yankees, which sends Javier Vazquez to NY for Melky Cabrera and prospects. From Atlanta’s perspective, the deal is mostly about dumping salary:

It turns out that it may just be someone “pretty good.” According to reports, the third player the Braves get back in the deal is pitcher Arodys Vizcaino, who Baseball Prospectus rates as the No. 2 overall prospect in the Yankees system.