Yankees land Gray, cost is high as expected, rotation set

The Yankees, with thirty minutes before the deadline, did what they were expected to, landing the frontline started they had targeted. The cost, however, was high, also as expected.

The Yankees added to their starting rotation this afternoon, picking up much sought after right hander, Sonny Gray, from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo, and Dustin Fowler, all high-level prospects.

As expected, the price for Gray was high, and conversation will take place asking the question, was it too high.

Gray projects as a number one or number starter in the Yankees rotation for the rest of this season and through the 2019 season, as he under team control until then.

The price is the price and as the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Known as the Mystery Man because of his ability to change grips on his pitches, often in mid-windup, creating new pitches on the go no one has ever seen before. Before joining the Yankees, he was considered the ace of the A’s staff for several years.

Cashman, in the end, held true to wise word that he would not part with either Clint Frazier or Gleyber Torres, despite Billy Beane, the GM of the A’s insistence that either one needs to be included if a deal was to be made.

Kaprielian and Fowler are both injured and will not play again this season.Mateo’s only mistake is that he kept getting better in the minor leagues, make him an attractive piece in the deal for Oakland.

First Takeaways

With the deal still fresh, only instant judgments can be made. But my first take puts Brian Cashman in the realm of a super general manager. The Yankees, above all else, needed help in their bullpen and starting pitching.

The deal with the White Sox bringing in David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle accomplished that, giving Joe Girardi multiple options and a chance to revolutionize baseball with his employment of the Bullpen By Committee.

More from Yanks Go Yard

Then, he pulls the trigger bringing in Jamie Garcia as a number three or four in the rotation, followed by today’s deal adding Gray. Together with Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery or CC Sabathia, the Yankees now have four pitchers to throw back to back in any playoff series.

Oh yeah, and there’s this guy named Masahiro Tanaka, too.

The price is the price, and as the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. By definition, prospects are formative and mostly untested at the major league level. And if even one of three players dealt are playing in the big leagues by the time Sonny Gray reaches free agency in 2020, the A’s have made themselves a helluva deal.

Bottom line, if there is one now, let Brian Cashman explain as Erik Bowland Tweeted minutes ago:

"“It was an area of weakness and it’s been shored up and addressed. We hope it plays that way as we moved forward.”"

Next: Yanks best bet: Go with the Mystery Man (7/14/17)

In the meantime, though, the jury remains out, and it’s up to Gray now to prove that he is what the Yankees believe he is by executing on the field, against either the Tigers or the Indians, depending on whether Girardi chooses to hold him back.

Welcome to New York, Sonny. You’re wearing the Pinstripes now…….

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