10 worst trades in New York Yankees franchise history

9. Jeff Weaver Arrives in Three-Team Trade, 2002

Ever wish for something so bad that you fail to realize you already had something better all along? If so, then you can appreciate just how badly the Yankees messed up the Jeff Weaver situation.

Looking for an effective pitcher in early July 2002, the Yankees shipped out pitcher Ted Lilly and others to the Oakland Athletics as a part of a three-team trade that landed Weaver in New York.

Lilly had been acquired in a previously in a 2000 trade that sent Hideki Irabu to the Montreal Expos, but the lefty will always be remembered for the long home run he gave up to Barry Bonds.

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Lilly was already an effective pitcher with the Yankees in 2002. But standard pitching statistics had him at 3-6 win-loss record and a 3.40 ERA.  The win-loss record was deceiving, as the rest of his metrics were good that season but not great.

The Yankees looked to improve by bringing in Weaver. He ended that season with the Yankees with a 5-3 win-loss record with a 4.04 ERA with significantly worse metrics than Lilly.

Not to be outdone by Lilly, Weaver gave up his own signature home run in the 2003 World Series, getting walked off by Alex Gonzalez.

The Yankees had the player they needed in house, but sent that player out for someone they thought was better. When Weaver didn’t pan out, they made another trade to get an effective starter.