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Grading Yankees’ transformative 2022 MLB trade deadline moves

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: Frankie Montas #47 of the Oakland Athletics walks out of the dugout before the start of the second inning of the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: Frankie Montas #47 of the Oakland Athletics walks out of the dugout before the start of the second inning of the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
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Harrison Bader #48 of the St. Louis Cardinals (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Yankees Trade Jordan Montgomery to Cardinals for Harrison Bader: D

The New York Yankees added Frankie Montas — legitimately Frankie Montas! — the Monday before the 2022 trade deadline. By the time Tuesday rolled around, their rotation was worse than the one Montas had joined the day prior.

Brian Cashman beat the buzzer by dealing Jordan Montgomery to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for defensive superstar center fielder Harrison Bader, who is unfortunately in a walking boot at the moment, and might be sporting one until the end of the season. He may come back in September. He may not. If he doesn’t, the Yankees receive a player to be named later for their No. 5 starter.

Many fans presumed this deal was completed as a precursor to Pablo Lopez or Carlos Rodón heading to the Bronx. It was not. Nothing followed.

Montgomery, a good-not-great left-hander who never got the requisite run support, had seen his ERA beef up to 3.69 recently. Regardless of whether or not he’d make an ideal playoff rotation (he wouldn’t), he’ll now give way to Domingo German every five days, a deplorable outcome.

The Yankees’ desired October rotation is Gerrit Cole, Frankie Montas, Luis Severino and Nestor Cortes Jr. Severino is currently on the 60-Day IL; by mid-September, we’ll know more about his lat. If a playoff-bound team only has four trustworthy starters (in August, with one on the shelf), that is not enough trustworthy starters.

Cashman has questions to answer about his motivations here. Otherwise, it seems the team is relying on absolutely zero depth beyond their four postseason arms, hoping nobody gets hurt in two months when one of the names in question is hurt already. Hopefully Bader gets back and shines as the team’s sixth outfielder, which is double the amount of outfielders that typically take the field at any given time.

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