The Zack Britton Trade and What That Means for the Yankees

SPANISH HARLEM – The New York Yankees and Brian Cashman finally made a trade on Tuesday and they got the Baltimore Orioles best reliever for 3 pitching prospects, Dillon Tate, Cody Carroll and Josh Rogers. I don’t know much about the players traded but Dillon Tate was the highest rated prospect to change hands and while he was someone with potential, the Yankees got one of the best relievers on the trade market.

The media has expected a trade at some point but most thought that adding a starting pitcher was a more pressing issue. I would a expect another trade to happen before the deadline for a pitcher they can plug into the rotation but now they don’t have to mortgage their future to do it. In prior articles here on this website, a lot of potential candidates have been discussed but many of those high ceiling pitchers don’t seem to be available or at the very least will cost a boatload of top prospects that the Yankees want to hold on to.

By adding Zack Britton they solidified a strength without depleting their farm system. He will come in as a set up man but has experience closing games and adds to a bullpen that has 3 relievers that have closed games before in David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman. Being a left hander, the Yankees finally have a pitcher that they can match against some of the best left handed sluggers in the game but what makes Britton unique is that he is as effective against right handed batters. His sinker is one of the best in baseball, if not the best in the game and fits the mold that the organization wants from pitchers that pitch in the homer friendly Yankees Stadium.

The best case scenario has the Yankees trading for a starting pitcher before the trade deadline on Tuesday but they also keep Britton away from teams like Boston, Cleveland and Houston. The organization now has some leverage when it comes to discussing trades with potential suitors. Making a trade now doesn’t leave the Yankees waiting on the outside looking in, they can still push to make a trade but won’t be held hostage because they already made the team better. If the Yankees make the postseason, it will only help this team shorten games because their best pitchers are in the bullpen.

At this point in time, this team is not playing their best baseball but they still have a lot of games left and nothing helps morale more than the organization making a trade to help the team during difficult times. Expect a jolt and some uptick in energy. I have seen this organization make some trades that helped win championships. We know this, the players know this, so enjoy the show. I have a feeling something is brewing.

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