Yankees Get Starlin Castro For Adam Warren

The New York Yankees have acquired Starlin Castro from the Chicago Cubs for Adam Warren and a player to be named in a deal meant to solidify the Yankees second base position according to MLB.com.

Castro had been a Yankee target since the completion of the regular season. At 25, he fits in with the youth movement promoted by Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and General Manager Brian Cashman. In 2015, Castro batted .265 with 11 home runs and 69 runs batted in.

Parting with Warren was a difficult decision for the Yankees. His versatility had him competing for a spot in the 2016 starting rotation. Of the 43 games in which he appeared last year, 17 of those appearances were as a starter.

Castro is slated to be challenged by Rob Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley as the starting second baseman, but he is expected to be the starter on opening day. The Yankees have struggled for consistency there since the departure of Robinson Cano to the Seattle Mariners.

The player to be named later in the deal is believed to be Brendan Ryan. Castro became available after the Cubs signed free agent Ben Zobrist. Castro is in line to receive  $38 million that carries him through the 2019 season.

The move now gives the Yankees a double play combination that is young and heading into their prime. Last season they acquired Didi Gregorius to take over at shortstop after the retirement of Derek Jeter.

With one of the biggest needs taken care, the Yankees can now focus on adding a starter to their rotation. This becomes even more important with the departure of Warren. In recent days the buzz has been that the Marlins may be dealing ace Jose Fernandez. Keeping Luis Severino is a top priority according the the Yankees front office. But the temptation of bringing Fernandez to New York could override that plan.