Remaining active, Yanks trade Headley
The Yankees traded third baseman Chase Headley and pitcher Bryan Mitchell and $500,000 to San Diego on Tuesday, giving New York added payroll flexibility and room for infield prospects.
New York received outfielder Jabari Blash, 28, who made his big-league debut in 2016 and has played in 99 big-league games over two seasons.
A day after finalizing its acquisition of NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton from Miami, the Yankees dealt with their infield logjam and cut their payroll to about $167 million for luxurytax purposes. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is intent on getting under the $197 million tax threshold next year, and New York still might attempt to re-sign left-hander CC Sabathia or add another starter.
Headley, who turns 34 in May, lost his third-base job and shifted to first when the Yankees acquired Todd Frazier last summer. Frazier became a free agent, and the Yankees appear intent on letting Miguel Andujar, 21, compete for the thirdbase job in spring training. Trading Headley also could signal the Yankees might try to re-sign Frazier, a New Jersey native who relished playing in his home market.
Gleyber Torres, who turns 21 on Wednesday, could be a third-base option or have a chance to play at second following the trade of Starlin Castro to the Marlins in the Stanton deal.
Headley, returning to the team that selected him in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft, has a $13 million salary next season, which completes a $52 million, four-year deal. He receives a $1 million assignment bonus for getting traded, and his deal calls for $250,000 bonuses each for 475, 500, 525 and 550 plate appearances.
He hit .273 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs last season and has a .264 average with 130 homers and 592 RBIs in 11 major-league seasons with San Diego and the Yankees, who acquired him in July 2014 for infielder Yangervis Solarte and right-hander Rafael De Paula. Headley hit a career-high 31 homers and had an NL-leading 115 RBIs with the Padres in 2012.
His return to San Diego might be brief. Cory Spangenberg and Solarte can play third.
Mitchell was 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA this year in one start and 19 relief appearances for the Yankees.
Blash hit .213 with five homers and 16 RBIs this year for San Diego. Ohtani has elbow sprain: Yahoo reported that Angels pitcher-outfielder Shohei Ohtani has a sprained UCL in his throwing elbow. Angels general manager Billy Eppler was unconcerned, saying in a statement to Yahoo, “There are not signs of acute trauma in the elbow. It looks consistent with players his age.” Briefly: Brandon Morrow agreed to a two-year contract with the Cubs . ... Right-hander Mike Fiers and the Tigers agreed to a $6 million, one-year contract.