Yankees should explore deal to add reliever(s) from San Francisco Giants

Definitely a wild card and mostly an unknown name, there’s one reason why the Yankees could pursue Reyes Moronta: he strikes out A LOT of batters.

In fact, the righty has recorded13.2 K/9 which is tied for 13th in all of Major League Baseball. Moronta really came into his own last season with the Giants:

• 2018: 69 G, 65.0 IP, 2.49 ERA, 34 H, 20 R (18 ER), 79 K, 10.9 K/9
• 2019: 26 G, 28.2 IP, 3.14 ERA, 21 H, 10 R (10 ER), 42 K, 13.2 K/9

The 26-year old’s fastball averages 97.1 miles per hour, so that is certainly a reason for his success via the strikeout. The one downside for the right-hander is that he has allowed 5.65 B/9 (the 17th most in the Majors).

Moronta reminds me of Tommy Kahnle in a sense as both are flamethrowing right-handers. Kahnle was seen as a “throw-in” during the 2017 trade that bought him to New York alongside David Robertson and Todd Frazier. He’s now the only guy from that trade who’s still on the Yankees and he’s thriving as one of their high leverage relievers.

If New York can convince the Giants to include Moronta in a trade involving Madison Bumgarner, he could be a solid piece in the ‘pen for the Yankees.