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Yankees reunite with recently-traded reliever in surprise Cashman move

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 29: Albert Abreu #84 of the New York Yankees throws to first during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 11-5. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 29: Albert Abreu #84 of the New York Yankees throws to first during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 11-5. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Just before the 2022 season began, the New York Yankees made a last-second trade with the Texas Rangers to acquire a backup (third-string?) catcher in Jose Trevino. All it cost? Prospect Robby Ahlstrom, as well as Albert Abreu, a former top prospect who’d previously established himself as a viable big-league option in 2021.

Wait … what? Weren’t the Yankees wasting an asset that had finally blossomed? Did they really need Trevino, a defense-first catcher who didn’t seem likely to pack a punch behind home plate?

No, they weren’t. And yes, they did. Trevino ranks second in the AL’s All-Star balloting (deservedly), and Abreu — between both Texas AND Kansas City — toed a disastrous line with an 8.43 FIP. 8.43!

Numbers that horrible below the surface will get you excommunicated to a third franchise in three months. And, in this case, that franchise is … the Yankees, again.

Will Abreu rediscover his magic in a new home? Who knows!

Regardless, the Yanks acquired their All-Star-caliber catcher for a fringe prospect, and got the biggest piece of the deal back on Tuesday. He’ll reportedly rejoin the team on Thursday at Yankee Stadium for a battle with the Astros.

Yankees get reliever Albert Abreu back after Jose Trevino trade

Other than the Rangers’ unrelenting desire to acquire as many Yankees prospects as possible (it’s kind of working!), the Yanks netted out with both of the major assets exchanged just before Opening Day. And that’s dynamite.

All it cost for the Bombers to add Abreu to their 40-man roster this time was David McKay, the ex-Rays reliever who was also acquired earlier in the campaign and struggled through two scoreless innings with the Yankees (51.19 FIP!). The mustache will be missed, but odds are the Yanks will get just as much benefit from an Abreu reunion as they did from the scuffling McKay.

Yes, Abreu’s 2022 numbers (below the hood) are brutal — he’s actually got a 3.46 ERA overall. But at least he’s back in the Matt Blake reliever factory, something the Yankees probably wanted all along.

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