Reliever Yankees just traded to Nationals already getting praise we feared amid mixed-bag start

The New York Yankees needed (and still need) offense, and so we got trading for Luis Garcia Jr. It's only been a handful of games, but the 26-year-old slugger has been good so far, and of course, you gotta give something to get something, but we'd be lying if we said it didn't hurt to give up Yovanny Cruz.

Cruz did everything that was asked of him here, but for reasons that are beyond comprehension, the Yankees never gave him an extended audition to see if he could be what they needed before the trade deadline. That left him vulnerable, and the pitching-needy Washington Nationals were all too happy to take him off New York's hands in the Garcia Jr. deal.

Based on everything we saw, it's no surprise that in the early going he's drawing rave reviews in our nation's capital. Cruz has 100-plus miles per hour heat, a devastating splitter, and a wipeout slider, and they've all been on display in his new digs.

Of course, if we had a new bullpen arm or three following the deadline feeding frenzy, we'd feel okay, but Brian Cashman seemed to think that shoring up the bullpen wasn't a top priority. And now Cruz is doing this.

Yankees might live to regret trading Yovanny Cruz before giving him a fair shot

For much of the season, the Yankees bullpen's raw stats have been good. That doesn't mean danger hasn't been lurking around the corner, though. Tim Hill, prior to Wednesday, has become a liability; Fernando Cruz seems to have hit a wall in the second half, unable to even get to the splitter as a chase pitch; and while Brent Headrick hasn't suffered ill effects yet, he continues to lead the league in appearances, sparking fears that his left arm will eventually fall off.

Since New York failed to acquire any reinforcements, plus sent out Cruz along with Ben Grable, the team is going to have to look at unorthodox options to fill in gaps and replace struggling arms.

Clarke Schmidt was thought to be an option in the 'pen as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery, but a forearm injury throws that plan into doubt. One of Will Warren or Ryan Weathers will get bumped to a relief role once Carlos Rodón returns from the IL, though it's unclear how either will respond to a new, unfamiliar role.

Finally, if all else fails, the Yankees could be staring down the barrel of a truly horrifying option in turning to Luis Gil to fill in any bullpen gaps.

Trading Cruz isn't the end of the world, but failing to address a key need that he could have solved after moving him for a platoon bat is a cardinal sin. Shockingly, the Yankees don't see the problem with this plan.

Maybe they'll be proven right and Cruz will implode. His outing on Wednesday night against the Cubs - two hits, two earned runs, a walk, and only one out recorded - further muddied the waters, and qualifies as a point in the Yankees' column (though, again, they didn't replace him, so they don't have a leg to stand on). But for now, he looks like exactly what we thought he was: a one-of-a-kind arm with the makings of being dominant bullpen weapon who finally has the opportunity to show what he's made of.

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