Yankees: What trade for Kendrys Morales could spell

On Tuesday night, the Yankees acquired veteran 1B/DH Kendrys Morales from the A’s for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

With the Yankees acquiring 35-year-old slugger Kendrys Morales from Oakland for cash or the always promising player to be named later, one would think the prospect of getting back Miguel Andujar or Giancarlo Stanton anytime soon, doesn’t look promising.

As for Andujar, he was re-inserted to the 10-day IL on Monday, and news broke late Tuesday that the club would decide on the possibility of season-ending surgery on his partially torn right labrum within the next 24 hours.

In regards to Stanton, although he has since healed from the Grade 1 biceps strain that initially landed him on the IL back on April 1, a shoulder strain is keeping Stanton’s absence in-tact, and return date non-existent.

With the Yankees’ medical staff’s questionable history of correctly diagnosing maladies, manager Aaron Boone was cryptic when speaking to Chris Ryan of NJ.com about Stanton’s situation.

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"“He doesn’t have a perfect shoulder by any means, and he’s dealt with, to varying degrees, a dead period or just some soreness in there or whatnot,” Boone said. “As for as a diagnosis or what exactly it is, I don’t have that.”"

Although Stanton took a whole nine live at-bats on Monday, followed by some light defensive work and running on Tuesday, the organization still acquired 13-year veteran Kendrys Morales.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees moved top pitching prospect Jonathan Loaisiga to the 60-day IL (shocking). After being designated for assignment earlier on Tuesday, the Yanks jumped all over the .267/.328/.456-lifetime hitter.

It was just this past March 27 that the A’s acquired Morales from the Blue Jays; however, in 108 at-bats (34 games), Morales hit a paltry .206 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Perhaps the Yanks expect Morales to become inspired to produce the way he traditionally has (four-straight 20 homer seasons), including 21 long balls and an OPS+ of 113 in 130 games last season.

With 212 career home runs and 725 RBIs to his name, Morales is an average fielder at best. However, he’ll provide coverage for Luke Voit at first and is a switch-hitting stick that could produce in small spurts.

Is Morales, at this stage in his career an adequate replacement for a healthy Andujar or Stanton? No way, but perhaps he picks up the 2019 Yankees moniker of ‘next man up,’ and exceeds expectations.

A free agent at the end of this season, the Yanks will pay the remainder of Morales’ $12 million salary.