Yanks trade Wilson for 2 prospects
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brian Cashman dealt a lefthanded reliever who helped the Yankees in the late innings, but it wasn’t Andrew Miller.
The general manager continues to listen to offers for his closer but Wednesday liked a deal with the Tigers that sent Justin Wilson to Detroit for minor league righthanders Chad Green and Luis Cessa.
“We acquired two starting pitchers at TripleA who provide 12 years of control between them,’’ Cashman said of Green, 25 in May, and Cessa, 24 in April.
Cashman has Green and Cessa, who went from the Mets to Tigers in the Yoenis Cespedes deal, targeted for TripleA but didn’t rule out them helping at the bigleague level if needed.
“It increases the list of candidates to help the big club with starting innings,’’ Cashman said. “It’s an area of weakness. We have guys in the starting rotation who obviously have issues. We like Wilson, but we like the pieces we are getting back. Wilson is arbitrationeligible with three years of control and entering his moneymaking years.’’
Acquired from the Pirates for Franciso Cervelli last offseason, the lefthanded Wilson developed into a solid midtolateinnings reliever. In 74 games he went 50 with a 3.10 ERA and allowed 49 hits and fanned 66 in 61 innings.
The Yankees will attempt to replace that spot with Chasen Shreve, Jacob Lindgren and James Pazos. All three lefties pitched for the Yankees last year when Shreve made 59 appearances and pitched well until tiring in the final month.
Hal Steinbrenner said Pazos, who appeared in 11 big league games last year, was among the untouchable prospects prior to the July 31 trade deadline. Lindgren was the Yankees’ first pick (second round) in the 2014 draft and appeared in seven games. He had a bone spur in the left elbow removed. Righthander Vincent Velas
quez, a pitcher the Yankees and Astros talked about, was traded Wednesday to the Phillies for righthanded closer Ken Giles. Velasquez appeared in 19 games last year and the Yankees were intrigued with his mid90s fastball.
The Yankees are expected to lose minor league outfielder Jake Cave in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft. The Phillies, Reds, Braves, Mets and A’s are interested in the lefthanded hitter.