YANKEES-A’S TIES
They play on opposite coasts but there is no shortage of connections between the Yankees and Athletics, both recent and historic, as they enter the wild-card showdown. Here’s a look:
Aaron Judge: The A’s tried to nab Judge before the Yankees could. Oakland originally drafted the outfielder out of nearby Linden High School in the 31st round in 2010. But Judge chose not to sign and instead went to Fresno State for three years before the Yankees pounced on him in the first round of the 2013 draft.
Sonny Gray: The biggest thing connecting these teams in recent history is the trade that happened just before the July 31 deadline last year. The Yankees landed Gray in exchange for prospects James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler. Gray has since lost his rotation spot, though the players the Yankees gave up haven’t exactly taken off either.
Bob Melvin: His time in pinstripes was short-lived, but the A’s manager was once a Yankee. Melvin, a catcher, played in nine games and went 4-for-14 for the Yankees in 1994 before eventually being claimed on waivers. He played parts of two seasons with their Triple-A affiliate, then Columbus, before retiring. The Yankees also tried to interview Melvin for their manager position last offseason, but were denied before they picked Aaron Boone.
Reggie Jackson (right): He wasn’t dubbed Mr. October until he got to The Bronx, but Jackson originally built up his postseason résumé in Oakland. Jackson played eight full seasons with the Athletics, helping them get to the playoffs five times and win the World Series three times before becoming a Yankee. He is now a special adviser to GM Brian Cashman, Al Pedrique: The A’s first-base coach might also be their best scout for the wildcard game. Before joining Oakland’s staff this year, Pedrique spent five seasons managing in the Yankees’ minor league system. He was at Single-A Charleston in 2013, Single-A Tampa in 2014, Double-A Trenton in 2015 then led Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2016 and 2017. His RailRiders won the Triple-A championship in 2016. He did not get a chance to interview for the Yankees job after Joe Girardi was fired, so he left for Oakland. Catfish Hunter: The Hall-ofFame pitcher spent the first 10 years of his career with the A’s — including their move from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968 — before finishing it with five seasons with the Yankees. After leaving the A’s, he signed MLB’s first multi-million dollar contract with the Yankees, a five-year deal worth $3.75 million. In 1975, the righty threw a career-high 328 innings in pinstripes with a 2.58 ERA.