Yankees deal Beltran and Nova at trade deadline
Follow Chapman, Miller out the door, as N.Y. cleans house
New York — Outfielder Carlos Beltran and pitcher Ivan Nova followed Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller out of the Bronx, leaving the New York Yankees fighting to avoid their first losing season in nearly a quarter century rather than contend for a playoff spot.
Beltran, the top player in the Yankees' lackluster offense, was sent to Texas on Monday for right-hander Dillon Tate, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft, and two other pitching prospects: right-handers Nick Green and Erik Swanson.
Nova, who like Beltran is eligible for free agency after the World Series, was sent to Pittsburgh for two players to be named.
Monday, during an 18-swap frenzy at the trade deadline, was the busiest deadline day since at least 1995, eclipsing the 15 deals made on the final day in 2010 and 2015, ac-
cording to Major League Baseball.
Teams had until 4 p.m. to make trades without waivers. From now, no player can be dealt unless he goes unclaimed by everyone else.
The AL West-leading Rangers made two major moves, acquiring all-star catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as Beltran.
“It’s a new chapter,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “There’s going to be some young guys that get a chance, and I’m excited about that.”
After a four-game losing streak dropped the Yankees to 52-52, New York general manager Brian Cashman made the moves with management’s go-ahead just ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline.
“I believe that you can win with the players in that room,” Girardi insisted. “Did we lose some really good players? Absolutely. And you know, some people are probably going to think that I’m delusional, but I mean there’s no reason to put the uniform on if you don’t believe that you can win.”
New York has played one postseason game since 2012, losing to Houston in last year’s AL wild-card matchup. The Yankees, who have not finished with a losing record since 1992, peaked last week at four games above .500.
“I don’t blame nobody other than we didn’t do our job as players,” Beltran said.
Tate, the top pitcher selected in the 2015 draft, is among three elite prospects entering the Yankees’ minor league system. Outfielder Clint Frazier, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, was acquired from Cleveland on Sunday in the trade for Miller. Venezuelan shortstop Gleyber Torres was obtained from the Chicago Cubs last week in the Chapman deal.
“Brian and his staff and the organization is trying to put this team in a good position to have a long run of not just playing well, but winning championships,” Girardi said. “It’s not about being ... a second wild-card team and winning one game or losing one. We want to win championships.”
The banged-up Mets acquired Jay Bruce, the all-star outfielder who leads the NL with 80 RBI, from Cincinnati for infielder Dilson Herrera and minor league lefty Max Wotell. The Mets also got pitcher Jon Niese, who spent his first eight years in New York, from Pittsburgh for reliever Antonio Bastardo.
The Giants aimed to bolster a shaky bullpen by getting Will Smith from Milwaukee, Boston got Fernando Abad from Minnesota and the Cubs obtained Joe Smith from the Angels.