Yankees fire shot over their bow, land Brewer’s Garrett Cooper

The Yankees made their first deal of the summer by acquiring a power-hitting first baseman from the Milwaukee Brewers.

When the Yankees open their four-game series in Boston tomorrow night, there could well be yet another new face at first base.

Garrett Cooper was acquired by the Yankees in exchange for lefty reliever, Tyler Webb, who was returned to the Yankees as a former Rule 5 Draft pick.

The team also picked up some length in Cooper who reaches 6′ 6″ and weighs in at 230 lbs.

Just 26, Cooper has compiled some eye-opening numbers this season in the minors. His slash line is.366/.428/.652 with 29 home runs, 17 doubles, and 82 RBI in only 75 games at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Calm down, though, as those numbers mainly come from playing at a high altitude where the ball jumps off bats.

What’s the fallout?

The trade may or may not quiet rumors about the team’s interest in Marlin’s first baseman, Justin Bohr, who would come to the Yankees with a higher price tag but also with a couple of substantial years of experience at the major league level.

Adding to the unknowns regarding Cooper’s addition to the team is where Ji-Man Choi fits in if he does at all, and what happens when Greg Bird is fully re-jabbed and ready to play.

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The team also announced today that Bird is ready to give baseball activities a second try with rehab games shortly.

While not a blockbuster in any sense, the deal does relieve some of the pressure on Brian Cashman as he tries to fill multiple holes on the team.

The team learned today along with the rest of us that Jose Quintana is off the board having been traded to the Cubs in exchange for four prospects. This means the Yankees will now be looking elsewhere to find a starting pitcher.

Cashman will also be looking to shore up the bullpen, which of late has been iffy at best. Trading Webb might seem odd if that’s the case, but it’s more likely the Yankees believe they need a complete makeover in the pen, not including Adam Warren, Dellin Betances, and Aroldis Chapman.

The Pinstripes won’t have to wait long before seeing where their half is heading. The Red Sox are followed by the surprising Minnesota Twins and the pesky Tampa Bay Rays, all on the road.

Cashman will keep the phones open, but it’ll be up to the 25 players in the clubhouse to get the job done on any given day.

The Yankees reiterated their disinterest in trading prospects to meet any of these needs according to Bleacher Report

"“Our interest would be buyers, but I think we’re going to be careful buyers,” Cashman said, per DiNitto. “We have a long-term plan that I think people are seeing the excitement from, and we’re definitely not going to deviate from that.”"

Next: Does Greg Bird have a future with the Yankees

Still, the deal made today can be counted only as the first salvo of fire that is expected from the Yankees front office as it seeks to find the “Magic 25” who can bring the team home to the playoffs.