A day after trading for Frankie Montas to bolster their rotation, the Yankees subtracted one in every of their most constant starters simply earlier than the commerce deadline.
The Yankees despatched lefty Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals on Tuesday in trade for outfielder Harrison Bader and a participant to be named later or money issues.
Bader is at present on the injured listing with plantar fasciitis and in a strolling boot. That might delay his Yankees debut till September, basic supervisor Brian Cashman stated. When Bader is on the market, the Yankees will get a robust defensive middle fielder and pace risk who can also be beneath contract by means of subsequent season.
However it got here at the price of Montgomery, the homegrown pitcher who was visibly emotional and nonetheless in shock about an hour after the commerce went down.
“I didn’t purchase Montas so I may transfer Monty,” Cashman stated after the deadline had handed. “Me and my employees entered the commerce acquisition market of exports and imports making an attempt to determine the general ecosystem of that roster and what matches greatest with a plan for October and the way may we greatest be flying excessive at the perfect of our talents when it counts essentially the most in October and what offers us essentially the most quantity of high quality decisions? That’s what went into each single determination we made.
“So we’re enthusiastic about what Bader can convey down the road for us. We’ve to attend on it, we get that. However it got here on the expense of a high quality alternative we already had.”
The commerce capped off a busy few days for Cashman — who stuffed holes in left discipline (Andrew Benintendi), the rotation (Montas) and the bullpen (Scott Effross and Lou Trivino) whereas additionally trading Joey Gallo to the Dodgers.
“The most important a part of it’s simply type of that unhappiness of seeing a man [leave] that you simply love and that you simply’ve been by means of quite a bit with and that’s finished quite a bit for this workforce and group,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated after an 8-6 loss to the Mariners. “Popping out of nowhere at the moment the place that occurs, it’s onerous delivering that information and saying goodbye.”
Even after buying Montas from the Athletics on Monday, the Yankees continued to discover including one other beginning pitcher earlier than the deadline, Cashman stated. The Submit’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees had been in on Marlins right-hander Pablo Lopez, although a deal by no means got here to fruition.
As a substitute, the Yankees will transfer ahead with a rotation of Gerrit Cole, Montas, Jameson Taillon, Nestor Cortes and Domingo German earlier than hoping {that a} wholesome Luis Severino joins them in mid-September when he is eligible to come off the 60-day IL. Additionally they have an alternative choice in Clarke Schmidt at Triple-A, although they gutted a lot of their beginning depth past that in trades over the previous few days.
“I’m assured [in the rotation],” Cashman stated. “My job is all the time to fret, however I imagine within the guys we have now.”
Montgomery, who was drafted by the group in 2014, appeared crushed to not be a part of that rotation transferring ahead.
“That is my household. That is all I do know,” stated Montgomery, who had a 3.69 ERA by means of 21 begins this season. “I nonetheless don’t actually assume I ever carried out the way in which I ought to have right here. I’m quite a bit higher participant than I’ve ever proven to the followers. However I feel I used to be constant, and I gave the workforce an opportunity to win.”
The Yankees may face Montgomery this weekend in St. Louis, as he can be on flip to pitch towards them.
However they’ll have to attend on Bader, whom Cashman known as “one of many elite middle discipline defenders within the recreation.” His presence will enable the Yankees to play Aaron Choose extra persistently in proper discipline. The 28-year-old Bader, a Bronxville native who gained a Gold Glove in 2021, was batting .256/.303/.370 with 15 steals in 72 video games this yr.
The Yankees entered Tuesday with the perfect report in baseball, however that didn’t make Cashman stand pat.
“Finally our report by means of Aug. 2 gained’t assure us something in October,” Cashman stated. “It’s the buildup of expertise, preserving it wholesome and taking part in to most capability. Simply because we performed distinctive baseball through Aug. 1 … doesn’t imply we get to sit back and assume it continues that approach.”
