The Yankees and Athletics are reportedly discussing a trade for Sonny Gray, that also includes first baseman Yonder Alonso. That would pretty much fill the remaining holes the Yankees had on the roster after already dealing for third baseman Todd Frazier as well as relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle, and that’s also why this deal makes too much sense for New York to not happen.
A Sonny Gray trade to the Yankees makes too much sense to not happen
Wednesday’s Say Hey, Baseball looks at a potential Sonny Gray deal, a trade the Dodgers should make, and whether the Rangers should buy, sell, or stay.
Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
The Yankees are loaded with prospects. They already have quite a bit of youth on the big-league roster, too. Their previous deals, both in the offseason and in-season, show a general manager who doesn’t want to give up on the future just to help the present. Adding Gray wouldn’t change any of that: He’s only 27, and he won’t be a free agent until after 2019. The Yankees would be getting someone to help them both now and in the future, which was what brought them not just Frazier and Robertson, but Kahnle and his team control as well.
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The A’s are rebuilding, so getting a package of prospects for Gray makes sense, and attaching Alonso to the deal to someone like the Yankees who need a first baseman is something that will help both sides. Alonso doesn’t have the history that makes him a guaranteed masher at first going forward, but he’s an upgrade on Chase Headley, who was pushed to the position by Frazier, and if paying for an upgrade at first is the extra “price” attached to Gray, then New York won’t have trouble paying it.
The Yankees are just one game back of the Red Sox in the AL East, and could use another starting pitcher given they don’t actually have an ace right now. Luis Severino is pitching like one, but every inning he pitches sets a new career-high for MLB innings. CC Sabathia has been effective, but also lucky, and he hasn’t pitched deep into games like an ace should. Masahiro Tanaka has pitched better of late, but he hasn’t been the Tanaka the Yankees need, and Michael Pineda is out for the year.
Adding Gray would allow New York to stop going to suboptimal starting options as often as they have, and he might just be what they need to surpass the Sox and stay there. And if they plug their hole at first base at the same time, well, that’s just a bonus.
- Even before Clayton Kershaw was hurting, the Dodgers trading for Yu Darvish made sense. With Kershaw’s back putting him on the DL, Los Angeles has even more reason to add an ace to what is possibly already the best team in the game.
- When a fly ball bounced off of Jose Canseco’s head and ended up being a homer, it was hilarious, especially since his noggin gave the ball the little extra it needed to clear the fence. This, though, is something else: It’s like a header in soccer to score a goal, except it wasn’t intentional.
- This is shocking news, but the Orioles are losing because they don’t have enough starting pitching. Now, should the O’s buy, sell, or stay at the trade deadline?
- The Yankees aren’t the only ones trying to get Gray from the A’s, by the way. If he ends up with the Braves, prospect Ronald Acuna might end up going back to Oakland.
- Eduardo Nuñez was traded to the Red Sox just a couple of days after top prospect Rafael Devers got the call from Boston.
- Over the Monster is hoping this doesn’t mean Devers is being optioned back to Triple-A, and that Nuñez is there more as insurance and as a utility player.
- The Tigers might trade their wonderful, young, and inexpensive starter, Michael Fulmer, so that they can cut loose some of their expensive regret in the same deal.
- The Twins and Dodgers delayed Tuesday’s game by 18 minutes to argue about the lineup after a double switch.
- The Brewers are promoting top prospect Lewis Brinson, so if you thought he was going to be part of a Gray deal, well, not yet, anyway.
- Milwaukee did make a deal on Tuesday, though, adding Anthony Swarzak to their bullpen in a trade with the White Sox.
- The Indians took down the Angels on Tuesday thanks to a pair of grand slams, the latter of which was a walk-off.
- Good (skateboarding) dog.
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