What to expect at MLB trade deadline
USAT’s Bob Nightengale gives insight on possibilities to expect before this year’s MLB trade deadline on August 3rd.
Sports Pulse
The Yankees had to squeak out 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, August 2. New York’s lineup has collapsed with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton out of the lineup. So general manager Brian Cashman went out and got the Yankees some power.
The Yankees acquired Luis Garcia, Jr. from the Washington Nationals on Sunday to try and put some thump back in their lineup. The first baseman slugs a National League best .560 and his left-handed bat will be able to take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium.
The return for the Nationals includes right-handed reliever Jake Bird, who the Yankees acquired at the deadline last year, and minor league right-handed pitchers Jack Cebert, Ben Grable and Yovanny Cruz.
A Yankee source with knowledge of the trade confirmed the deal to USA TODAY. The New York Post was first to report the trade. The Yankees announced the deal just before 7 p.m.
Garcia has 23 home runs, 20 doubles and five triples in 104 games. He is hitting .283 with an .873 OPS and a 134 wRC+. He lifts and pulls, which is the profile that Yankee Stadium has always rewarded.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he could not comment on the deal until it was officially announced. After the Yankees win Sunday, however, he was asked what he thought of Garcia as a player.
“He rakes,” Boone said.
He has played first base and DH, making the defensive fit interesting. Ben Rice has owned first base with Paul Goldschmidt backing him up. Logically, Rice would serve as DH until Giancarlo Stanton comes back and Garcia and Goldschmidt can split first base.
“A lot of great memories. A lot of great moments over my tenure here with with the Nationals, and all I can say is that I love this organization. I love my teammates, the clubhouse, the coaches, staff, everyone,” Garcia said before the game Sunday. The Nationals scratched him from the lineup, making it clear he was likely heading out in a trade.
The move shows how desperate the Yankees were for offense. They have spent all of July chasing a right-handed power bat, because the lineup already leans left. Once Cody Bellinger went on the injured list, however, Cashman just needed to acquire some runs.
The Yankees’ bats have gone cold. Over their last 16 games they’ve been averaging about three runs a night, and in more than half of those games, they scored two runs of less. The advanced stats back this up. Hitters are not squaring up the ball like they were earlier in the season, so it’s not just bad luck. They are genuinely a worse lineup. Guys like Trent Grisham, Auston Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr. have been especially cold.