Yankees Bolster Pen and Bench at Deadline
Brian Cashman worked his magic and delivered an improved bullpen and infield for the Yankees.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: Brian Cashman attends the annual charity day hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald and The Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund on September 12, 2022 in New York City.
(Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald)Brian Cashman would not be deterred from improving his struggling New York Yankees baseball team, as he went all in on improving a beleaguered bullpen and bench.
In the hours before the 6 p.m. MLB Trade Deadline on Thursday the Yankees made a flurry of moves that left baseball insiders heads spinning, and a critical fanbase, actually delighted.
The biggest move came in the seventh inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays when New York acquired Rays short stop Jose Caballero in exchange for Everson Pereira and a player to be named later.
How often is it that a player gets to move from one dugout to the next literary?
The Yanks wanted Caballero for his defense more than his bat (.226, 2 HR and 27 RBI).
He's made only three errors all year at short. Considering Anthony Volpe's struggles at the position this year with a League leading 16 errors, the Yankees needed help here.
With Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario also in place via trade acquisitions earlier in the week, the Yankees answered their questions on the left side of the infield at least defensively.
And with the way McMahon has started offensively, including winning a game on Wednesday night, it's a good start so far.
As far as the bullpen, Cashman went right to work. He sent three prospects including former Somerset Patriots starter Tryston Vrieling to San Francisco for reliever Camilo Doval.
Then he shipped prospects Roc Riggio and Josh Grosz to Colorado for reliever Jake Bird; And packaged three prospects including catcher Rafael Flores to the Pirates for reliever David Bednar.
Moreover, he sent struggling infielder Oswald Peraza packing to Anaheim for a prospect who will go straight to the Dominican Summer League.
Virtually overnight the Yankees went from a team with huge problems in the bullpen to potential answers. Doval (3.09 ERA) and Bednar (2.37 ERA) are probably the most intriguing pick-ups since both have toped over 98 mph on their heater consistently this year. Talk about needing swing and miss stuff late in innings.
Cashman also affirmed that Devin Williams will remain the Yankees closer for the rest of the season. Now, they finally have a legit bridge to get to him.
The Yankees who are 3.5 out of first in the AL East, and hold a slim one-game lead for the top wild card are poised to make a big postseason push - at least on paper.
