Yankees acquire Happ as they chase Red Sox
To the New York Yankees, left-hander J.A. Happ put check marks in a lot of boxes — familiar with the American League East Division, comfortable in the postseason and perhaps most important, successful against the Boston Red Sox.
Hours after ace reliever Zach Britton donned pinstripes for the first time, the Yankees also acquired the starting pitcher they sought. They got Happ from Toronto Thursday for infielder Brandon Drury and minor league outfielder Billy McKinney.
“We definitely satisfied some needs here,” New York general manager Brian Cashman said.
The Yankees began the day 5½ games behind AL East-leading Boston. They were just 14-14 in their previous 28 games.
Happ, who turns 36 in October, is 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts and was a firsttime All-Star. He joins a rotation that includes Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Sonny Gray. Manager Aaron Boone said it hasn’t been determined when Happ will make his Yankees debut.
Happ was 0-3 in his past four starts, and had been hit hard this month by the Yankees and Boston — an error severely cost him. Despite that dip, Cashman said he saw “more upside.”
Happ is 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 19 games against the Red Sox. He is 14-8 with a 3.98 ERA in 32 starts over the past three years against AL East opponents and also has pitched 10 postseason games with Toronto and Philadelphia.
Yankees
Slugger Aaron Judge has a fractured right wrist after he was hit by a fastball and is expected to miss three weeks, overshadowing New York’s 7-2 victory Thursday night against the Kansas City Royals.
The Yankees said Judge had a chip fracture and no surgery was recommended.
The team estimated it would be about three weeks before Judge could swing a bat in a game.
Brewers
Two-time All-Star closer Joakim Soria was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Chicago White Sox for two pitching prospects, left-hander Kodi Medeiros and right-hander Wilber Perez.
As part of the trade, Chicago will send Milwaukee $1,064,516 to cover part of the $4,145,161 remaining in the guaranteed portion of Soria’s $25 million, three-year contract.
Soria has a $9 million salary this year, and his deal includes a $10 million mutual option for 2019 with a $1 million buyout.
Soria, 34, a right-hander from Mexico was 0-3 with a 2.56 ERA and 16 saves in 40 relief chances with the rebuilding White Sox this season.
Soria is 28-34 with a 2.84 ERA and 220 saves in 613 relief appearances in 11 seasons that also has included time with Kansas City (200711, 2016-17), Texas (2013-14), Detroit (2014-15) and the Pirates (2015).
Cubs
Cole Hamels is headed to the Chicago Cubs, pending medical exams, according to multiple reports.
The Texas Rangers reportedly have reached an agreement to send the veteran left-hander to the Cubs in exchange for minor leaguers.The Rangers will pick up a “significant amount” of Hamels’ salary.
Hamels is making $23.5 million this season, and has a team option for $20 million with a $6 million buyout for next season.