About three weeks before the MLB trade deadline, general manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees were ready to “go to town.”
And go to town they did.
The Yankees swung eight trades involving MLB players in the six days leading up to Thursday’s 6 p.m. cutoff, including five on the day of the deadline.
They filled a glaring hole at third base with Ryan McMahon; overhauled their bullpen by adding three established arms; and retooled their bench, which now looks like a strength.
“We are better today than we were yesterday, so mission accomplished there,” Cashman said Thursday, about a half-hour after the deadline passed.
“I’m looking forward to these players competing in a really difficult market against some really high-end teams and see where it plays. We’re looking forward to taking our shot, and that’s all you can give it.”
Thursday’s biggest additions were to the bullpen, with the acquisitions of David Bednar from Pittsburgh; Camilo Duval from San Francisco; and Jake Bird from Colorado giving manager Aaron Boone a stable of high-leverage options from which to mix and match.
Cashman had sought a starting pitcher to bolster a rotation that lost ace Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt to season-ending elbow surgeries, but the market proved largely barren of high-impact starters.
So the Yankees loaded up with relievers whom they hope can help shorten games.
Bednar (17 saves, 2.37 ERA) and Duval (15 saves, 3.09 ERA) are both power right-handers who closed for their previous teams.
They likely won’t be asked to pitch many ninth innings with Devin Williams positioned as the closer, but they, along with Luke Weaver, give the Yankees four bullpen arms with closing experience.
“We have a number of guys that are more than capable of getting the final three outs,” Boone said. “Shortening the game has been a little bit of a challenge for us over the last month and a half with some of the injuries we’ve had. I know we’ve got some high-powered guys now.”
Bird, who had a 2.68 ERA through June before a rough July, helps fill out a bullpen that also includes left-hander Tim Hill and right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga, and that anticipates getting Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz back from injury.
A deep bullpen figures to be paramount for a Yankees team that features uncertainty in its starting staff behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. The rest of the rotation includes Marcus Stroman (6.23 ERA) and a pair of promising rookies in Will Warren and Cam Schlittler.
Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, is set to make his season debut on Sunday after working his way back from a high-grade lat strain that cropped up during spring training.
Many of the marquee starters believed to be on the trade market — including Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen and Dylan Cease — were not moved, making Merrill Kelly, who went to Texas, perhaps the best starter to change teams.
“We try to improve every aspect of the club, and this is what we had to show for those efforts,” Cashman said. “We certainly knocked on many doors regarding potential starting pitching, but obviously, we weren’t able to match up in that category.”
McMahon was the only starting position player that the Yankees added before the deadline, but the slick-fielding third baseman has already contributed on both sides of the ball.
And the Yankees added three bench pieces who should help balance out the roster.
After navigating most of the season with a lefty-heavy bench, the Yankees acquired righty-hitting infielder Amed Rosario from Washington and righty-swinging outfielder Austin Slater from Colorado.
Rosario provides depth behind McMahon and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who both bat left-handed.
Slater, who arrived with a .859 OPS against lefty pitchers, joins an outfield mix in which Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham bat left-handed, while switch-hitter Jasson Dominguez is superior from the left side.
At the very least, Rosario and Slater represent improvements as pinch-hitters.
Slater also offers insurance if right fielder Aaron Judge, who is on the injured list with a flexor strain, must DH for longer than expected upon returning.
On Thursday, the Yankees traded defensive-first infielder Oswald Peraza to the Los Angeles Angels, then acquired the speedy Jose Caballero from Tampa Bay.
Caballero stole 44 bases last season and is tied for the MLB lead this year with 34 steals. He can play second base, shortstop or third base.
“I was sitting there watching the game last night and wishing that Boonie had a player he could shoot as a pinch-runner that could take a bag,” Cashman said. “I just think [Caballero] provides a lot of versatility, and more choices and flexibility, by his player profile than what Peraza was providing.”
Cashman said adding Caballero had “nothing to do with” starting shortstop Anthony Volpe, who has made an uncharacteristic number of errors this season.
The second-place Yankees ended Thursday with a 60-49 record and were 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. They held a 1.5-game lead for the AL’s top wild card spot.
Cashman acknowledged the Yankees, who were 18-22 since June 13, have not been playing well, but he reiterated his belief that they are a good team.
While the starting rotation remains a question mark, the Yankees managed to upgrade their bullpen, lineup, defense and bench before the deadline — and they didn’t surrender any of their top seven prospects to do it.
“We’ll be good. We’ll be fine,” designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton said. “The new guys will fit nicely, just like the guys we’ve got already, and we’ll make this push.”
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