New York Yankees Have To Be Happy They Kept Ichiro

Jun 22, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (31) singles to center during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros trade talks were leaked yesterday as their Ground Control system was hacked. Over 10 months of trade talks and research was leaked, and a small portion of it was New York Yankees-related. ICYMI or didn’t see it, here are the Yankee-related discussions, per Deadspin:

"11/24/13[Yankees AGM Billy Eppler] reached out to [Stearns] to see if we had interest in Chris Stewart.03/18/14Billy Eppler reached out to DS to say that they are still looking to move Ichiro. They would be willing to pay Ichiro down to 2MBilly Eppler reached out to DS to say that they are still looking to move Ichiro. They would be willing to pay Ichiro down to 2M"

Stewart was later traded to the Pirates this past off-season, but how about Ichiro Suzuki? Where would the Yankees be without him?

In playing a platoon role in right field with Alfonso Soriano because Carlos Beltran can’t throw, Ichiro has played excellent defense in right field. You can make the argument that Ichiro, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner may be the best defensive outfield in the game.

He’s done okay with the bat as well. Ichiro has a .297/.349/.335 line with 10 RBI. Not exactly the old Ichiro numbers, but they are numbers the Yankees are just going to have to deal with, and they don’t tell the whole story with Ichiro this season.

The numbers Ichiro has put up wouldn’t be as big a deal, if others on their team were pulling their weight. In fact if they were, he’d be a fourth outfielder, which is what he should be right now. However, he’s helped at times this year, and they have to be happy with the fact they didn’t trade him to Houston or any other team.