FanSided

3 reasons Yankees’ 2022 MLB trade deadline fell short yet again

By Thomas Carannante |
Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy with the New York Yankees trade deadline? There’s certainly a reason to be optimistic, but perhaps you’ve been fooled. The flurry of Yankees moves (outside of the final one) was largely take positively, but the lack of impact trades during general manager Brian Cashman’s tenure, especially over the last 10 years or so, might’ve made some fans think that his decisions at the 2022 deadline were deviations from the mean.

This isn’t a smear piece on Cashman’s overall ineffectiveness. He’s built a contending roster. He’s found gems. There’s no denying that. However, his flops are beyond notable, and his aggression (when it’s actually exhibited) is sometimes misguided (overpaying Gerrit Cole, for example).

Over the last week, Cashman’s brought in outfielders Andrew Benintendi and Harrison Bader, relievers Scott Effross and Lou Trivino, and starter Frankie Montas. Lots of action! But overly inspiring? Not quite. That award goes to the San Diego Padres.

Should the Yankees have been that aggressive? Depends what you think. They definitely didn’t need to be, though, especially with the most wins in baseball heading into the deadline.

That being said, we just don’t know if Cashman’s moves this time around were enough to thrust the Yankees to where they need to be. And two embarrassing losses immediately after Cashman’s final, deflating move has the vibes all off.

3 reasons the Yankees’ 2022 trade deadline just wasn’t enough

Andrew Benintendi #18 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
Andrew Benintendi #18 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

3. Andrew Benintendi Simply Wasn’t “The Guy”

If we’re to be totally honest, Andrew Benintendi, though seemingly a good fit because of his contact-heavy bat and Gold Glove defense, isn’t a move that strikes fear into your opponents. Look at Benintendi’s body of work. Outside of his dominant 2018 season with the fishy World Series champion Boston Red Sox, Benny is barely an above-average MLB player.

OK, fine, we’ll admit, we’ve said countless times that all we needed was an “average” player to replace Gallo because the results would be night and day, but the Yankees acquiring Benintendi amid a massive switch in approach at the plate just didn’t feel convincing.

Why wasn’t Ian Happ considered more seriously? Because he was a bit more expensive? Was Trey Mancini off the table because the O’s didn’t want to do business? If you were going to go the less expensive rout, why wasn’t David Peralta, who went to the Tampa Bay Rays, more seriously targeted?

The difference here is that all of the above players either had more upside or displayed more overall consistency than Benintendi. Happ has two years of control and is a promising lefty bat that can hit for average and deliver ton of pop. Mancini, though that acquisition likely wasn’t attainable, is an all-around impact veteran slugger. Peralta, though not as flashy, has been a rock-solid bat whose hitting profile has remained consistent throughout his career, with his average taking a dive as he continues to get older and increase his power (he’s about to turn 35).

Yankees fans didn’t even want Peralta, though! We’re just comparing him to Benintendi as an equally “cheap” option that would’ve yielded the same results and cost the Yankees less in a trade package.

This is obviously much easier to write after Benintendi has started his Yankees tenure 1-for-20 with six strikeouts, but the 28-year-old overperforming in Kansas City shouldn’t have really sold anyone. And he’s not vaccinated and, as of now, can’t play in that final series in Toronto, which is growing more important by the day.

Frankie Montas #47 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Frankie Montas #47 of the Oakland Athletics (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

2. Frankie Montas Not a “Co-Ace”

This acquisition would be viewed much more favorably had Cashman not gotten rid of another starting pitcher, but the deal must be evaluated in the bigger picture.

Frankie Montas undoubtedly represented an impact move meant to make the Yankees a more capable playoff team, but … the man has pitched in 5.2 postseason innings, has only made more than 20 starts in a season once (he’ll eclipse that mark this year, though), and now has more pressure on him given Gerrit Cole’s struggles, as well as the state of the rotation as a whole.

The good news? Montas, during the regular season, handles the Yankees’ chief division/playoff competition well. He’s got ample experience and success against the Astros, Red Sox, Rays and Mariners. We love that.

But he’s not battle tested. His career high in innings pitched is 187. This is a move to deepen the rotation, but not exactly make it the fearful beast it needs to be for October. We understand, Luis Castillo wouldn’t have exactly been that, either. He has hardly any playoff experience and led the league in losses and walks last year (and was way more expensive in trade talks).

Nonetheless, this could’ve all been avoided in the offseason with an overpay for Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Kevin Gausman or Carlos Rodón. Maybe if Joe Musgrove had been acquired instead of Jameson Taillon before 2021, that would’ve helped, too.

Sadly, the Montas move should be viewed much more positively, since it was believed the Yankees were deepening their rotation better than anyone in the league until …

Jordan Montgomery #47 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Jordan Montgomery #47 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

1. Trading Jordan Montgomery Without Contingency Plan

Jordan Montgomery was traded for an injured Harrison Bader. The corresponding moves? None. They didn’t add another starter. They didn’t get rid of one of their five other outfielders. They just added an injured player, traded a regular-season asset, decided to give Domingo Germán more starts, and are seemingly going to rely on Luis Severino’s health, which has been a problem now for four years.

Montas alongside Cole, Nestor Cortes, Severino, Taillon, Montgomery and Germán/Clarke Schmidt is an entirely different story. That gives you enough arms to properly manage guys like Cortes, Sevy and Taillon, while also preparing for a bullpen that could boast a ton of long relief options in October.

Instead, Monty was jettisoned and Schmidt was optioned to Triple-A to be further “stretched out” as a starter (which he was already doing weeks prior). The rotation is now Cole (who has been downright bad), Montas, Cortes, Taillon and Germán. Taillon has been a powder keg for two months now and Germán shouldn’t be on this team. How does this help the bullpen, too, which is already overworked?

Are Scott Effross (62 career MLB games) and Lou Trivino (6.15 ERA, 1.78 WHIP) the solutions to shoulder more of the burden? Maybe that works out … but are we sure about that, with guys like Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga still far from their normal selves? Michael King wasn’t properly replaced. Wandy Peralta’s usage has been puzzling. Lucas Luetge isn’t a feared arm and has given up runs in tough spots this year.

So many problems or potential problems that still exist even after the trade deadline. That’s why it wasn’t enough. Feel free to call us babies if there’s a massive turnaround come Sept. or Oct., but it’s hard to envision that at the moment.

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