Sonny Gray Acquired By Yankees from Athletics

Last year at the trade deadline, Brian Cashman the General Manager for the New York Yankees had to persuade owner Hal Steinbrenner to take an approach that was unlike the organization and shed its highly paid well known players in exchange for prospects that were yet unproven.

For other clubs, that is called a fire sale, which is the baseball equivalent of throwing in the towel for the season, and signals a club is beginning to rebuild, something New York has not done in over 20 years.

Fast forward to this trade deadline and Cashman reversed his course. On Monday, he was able to persuade Steinbrenner into parting with three of the most prized Yankees prospects for a player he believes is the final piece to put the team on track to win this year’s World Series.

That player is the newest Yankee Sonny Gray, who is an accomplished starting pitcher, who Oakland let go for three Yankees prospects in the minor leagues – Jorge Mateo an infielder, James Kaprielian a right-handed pitcher and Dustin Fowler an outfielder.

On Monday, the Yankees defeated Detroit 7-3, which was the American League East leader’s ninth victory in their past 11 games. The Yankees currently hold just a half game lead over the second place Boston Red Sox.

Aaron Judge, who hit his 34th home run, which leads the majors, and Clint Frazier a prospect acquired in trades at the deadline last season tripled and scored, leading the Yankees to victory.

Adding Gray to the starting rotation along with Jaime Garcia, who was acquired from Minnesota on Sunday, will bolster the rotation after it recently lost Michael Pineda for the season and two younger starters – Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino are approaching their limitations on innings.

Joe Girardi the Yankees skipper said that Gray was very, very good and the team improved itself with the trade on Monday.

Last season at the trade deadline, the Yankees traded away Aroldis Chapman, Anthony Miller, and Carlos Beltran to receive a load of prospects. They also released veteran Alex Rodriguez.

The Yankees played well following that but missed the postseason for the third time over the last four seasons.

Most thought the team would need more time before becoming a contender, but following the strong start to the season, as the Yankees opened up 38-23, it looked as if the club arrived sooner than was expected.

Cashman believes Gray will help elevate the club to the next level and give them an opportunity to make a deep run in this year’s postseason and beyond.