Ranking Brian Cashman's worst pitching trades for Yankees

2021: Andrew Heaney

When's the movie about the 2021 Yankees coming out? Because it'll win an Oscar for Best Gut-Wrenching Drama That Was the Biggest Waste of Your Life. Is that a category at the Academy Awards yet? If not, Hal Steinbrenner should start looking at the accolades for indie festivals.

The trade for Andrew Heaney epitomized how depressing this season actually was. At the trade deadline buzzer, once again, Cashman sucked all the wind of the team's sails by trading for Heaney, who was ... never good! Showed signs of that possibly being the case a few times in short spurts, but nothing beyond that. But after 18 starts, a 5.27 ERA and 1.31 WHIP, the folks in the front office kicked back in their chairs, put their feet up on the desk, and said "you know what? THIS is the move that will reinvigorate this lifeless team and get them on track for a playoff run!"

Heaney's 12 games in New York might've been the worst of anybody from an output standpoint during the second half of the season. He finished with a 7.32 ERA, 6.93 FIP and 1.35 WHIP. He allowed an impossible 13 home runs in 35.2 innings of work. He was moved to the bullpen despite the fact he wasn't comfortable pitching in relief. Whatever the Yankees thought they could unlock, they somehow found themselves drowning in the opposite direction -- they made Heaney worse! How?!

ONE game was the difference between the Yankees or Red Sox hosting the AL Wild Card Game. The Yankees lost eight of the 12 games Heaney appeared in. Not saying they were all his fault, but those are the stats! A nightmare to watch, and it ended fittingly when the Yanks got embarrassed at Fenway that October.

Did we mention he left and got better, though? Can't forget about that inevitable occurrence.