Another bomber added to lineup
Source: Yankees acquire AL home-run leader Encarnacion from M’s
CHICAGO — The Yankees are arming themselves for the trade deadline. While they may desperately need starting pitching, they made a move Saturday to add more power to their lineup. The Bombers acquired first baseman/ designated hitter Edward Encarnacion during their game against the White Sox, a team source confirmed.
The 36-year-old Encarnación is hitting .241/.356/.888 with 49 RBI in 65 games with the Mariners this season. The Mariners are paying some of the remaining $15 million on Encarnacion’s salary and getting back pitching prospect Juan Then, who was initially signed by the Mariners out of the Dominican Republic.
The Yankees are getting a slugger just as their own sluggers are closer to a return.
Encarnacion leads the American League with 21 home runs, followed by Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez. He comes to a team that is expecting their sluggers back in the next few days. Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 38 homers and drove in 100 runs last season, is expected to be activated off the injured list as soon as Tuesday. Aaron Judge, who hit 27 homers last season, is expected back within the next 11 days.
The Yankees starting pitching has been their Achilles heel this season and Saturday was a reminder that they are getting by. Chad Green was great in his fifth “start,” of the season, but if the Yankees have hopes of winning their first World Series ring in the last decade, they need to get some legitimate starters in here.
The Yankees went into Saturday night’s game having lost eight of their last 11 and slipped from first place in the American League East.
Their starting pitching has contributed to that slide, with starters going 2-6 with a 6.45 ERA in that span.
The Giants’ World Series hero Madison Bumgarner is likely to dealt before July 31 as will Blue Jays starters Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez. Rangers starter Mike Minor is reportedly on the market as is Detroit’s Matthew Boyd.
The Yankees missed out on signing veteran Dallas Keuchel this month. After the draft, which released Keuchel from the draft compensation tied to his turning down the Astros’ qualifying offer, the Braves outbid the Yankees by $1.5 million for his services.
While their evaluators were not too high on Keuchel, the Yankees liked him as a solution because it wouldn’t cost them prospects. They are concerned about the state of their minor league system. Now, though, it’s obvious they are going to have to dig into an already thin farm system next month to try and get some help.
Until then, it seems the Yankees are going to try to bludgeon opposing teams with their power hitters.
Encarnacion is an average defensive first baseman, where Luke Voit has established himself with 17 homers and a team-leading 45 RBI. That means Encarnacion will most likely have to split time with Stanton as the DH. Stanton, who was playing left field Saturday night in a minor league rehab game, will have to play there more when he gets back than he did last season.
That means there will be at least two outfielders likely losing their spots. Cameron Maybin is likely to be shipped out when Judge and Stanton are healthy. Brett Gardner, signed this winter to be a fourth outfielder, will likely head to the bench for that role. Clint Frazier, who went into Saturday night’s game hitting .291, is likely the odd man out.
With starting pitching at a premium in this trade season, the Yankees are seemingly doubling down on their strength — offense.