SIMULATION: Yankees transactions at FanSided Winter Meetings

Trade for Kyle Schwarber

By now, if you’re a regular reader of Yanks Go Yard, especially this Winter Meetings SIMULATION, then you know that we lost out on the services of Shohei Ohtani to the Seattle Mariners.

I honestly thought we were a shoe-in to nab the Japanese Babe Ruth. I mean, a $3.5 million bonus, millions more in potential endorsement deals because he’d be associated with the Yankee brand — all the while playing for a team on the cusp of greatness.

Alas, it didn’t go our way. Which is why I immediately turned my attention to the Chicago Cubs and their burly left-handed slugger, Kyle Schwarber.

The 24-year-old, who made a triumphant return to the 2016 World Series following a serious knee injury in just the third regular season game of the year, managed to play 129 games in 2017 (110 of those in left field, eight behind the dish and one at first base).

Though Schwarber’s 150 strikeouts and .211 batting average lead to a brief minor league demotion, he did still swat 30 long balls and drive in 59 RBI in 422 at-bats.

Schwarber, who recently noted that his offseason goal is to sculpt his 6-foot, 235-pound body, is the power left-handed bat the Yankees sorely lack.

I get that Greg Bird hits bombs from time-to-time, but in all honestly, Bird is more of a line drive hitter — and if he lessens the loop in his swing, not only will he cut down on the number of times he strikes out, but it will aid in him driving the ball to all fields.

As for a healthy Schwarber, who in my opinion, should never again step foot in left field, his prodigious power is made for the short porch of Yankee Stadium.

At only 24, still a year away from arbitration, acquiring Schwarber was too good to pass up on. Even if he did cost us Dellin Betances.

I know this might be an unpopular move in some circles, especially those who think Betances will be more effective without Joe Girardi’s quick hook. But did you see Betances during the postseason?

He was practically unusable in the ALCS when he amassed a 9.00 ERA and 3.00 WHIP. He was basically unable to locate a single pitch and it clearly looked like that his confidence was all but shot.

Yes, Betances is still only 29, but he’s trending in the wrong direction, and for a volatile position such as relief pitcher, trading Betances for any everyday stick was a no-brainer.

With two arbitration years remaining, and the fight that is Betances vs. Randy Levine only to resurface this offseason, it was time for a change (and I can’t fire Levine).

With Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson more than capable of picking up the 8th inning slack, the bullpen is still a force to be reckoned with.

Betances can now go to the Cubs and immediately become their closer — which is what he always wanted, but the Yankees felt he wasn’t suited for. Otherwise, why sign Aroldis Chapman last year?