Yankees won Mike Ford and Mike Tauchman deals after latest Rays move

The New York Yankees appear to have bounced back nicely after a horrid start to the season, as poor play from some of their stars was supplemented by 2019 heroes like Mike Ford and Mike Tauchman failing to even look like professional hitters for large stretches.

In two separate deals, Brian Cashman saw fit to cut his losses and ditch these two. The Giants were able to bring Tauchman to San Francisco in exchange for left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta, while Ford was sent to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for 22-year-old outfielder Aldenis Sanchez.

A few months later, not only are the Yankees back in the postseason hunt after some wheeling and dealing at the trade deadline, but both of the players that they traded away haven’t performed very well in their new surroundings.

In fact, neither of them are in the major leagues anymore.

Ford was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay, meaning he is officially off their 40-man roster. Ford was hitting .243 with 11 home runs with their Triple-A team in Durham before this move.

Tauchman was also DFA’d by San Francisco, and he has just six hits in 38 at-bats for the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento.

The Yankees are profiting from the Mike Ford and Mike Tauchman trades.

Ford might have mashed 12 home runs in 50 games in 2019, but he hit just .134 between 2020 and 2021, so it was time to say goodbye. Tauchman’s admirable job as a Giancarlo Stanton fill-in was ruined by the fact he didn’t hit a home run between 54 games in the last two years. Poor hitting with San Francisco was the final nail in his coffin.

Yankees fans might not have been thrilled with the deal originally after Peralta struggled out of the gate, but he has since become an invaluable member of the bullpen. The 29-year-old has a 3.25 ERA and 135 ERA+ during his time with the Yankees, where he has gotten them out of several close games in the past.

Sanchez, a 22-year-old who came to the Yankees as a somewhat unknown outfielder that was included as a player to be named later, is tearing the cover off of the ball with the Low-A Tampa Tarpons. Sanchez is slashing an absurd .413/.500/.588, recording 33 hits, eight doubles, two home runs, 15 RBI, and 13 steals in just 23 games. Not too shabby.

By getting rid of two players that didn’t look capable of cutting it at the major league level, the Yankees picked up a young outfielder putting up video game numbers in the minors and a veteran lefty relief pitcher that is being entrusted to get big outs. Cashman and the front office have done it again.

Yankees: 3 forgotten Brian Cashman trades that put NYY in current position

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman's trades typically have ripple effects for years, so let's take a look at a few we may have forgotten about.