The New York Yankees completed their second major trade prior to the deadline on Monday.
They agreed to send pitching prospect Hayden Wesneski to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for side-armed reliever Scott Effross.
They had also acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi last week, too.
What’s the last piece of the puzzle for the Bombers?
Addressing the starting rotation, that is.
The pitching market is full of names, such as Merrill Kelly, Tyler Mahle, and others.
However, there are two potential difference-makers left with great odds of pitching with a different team after Tuesday: San Francisco Giants lefty Carlos Rodon and Oakland Athletics righty Frankie Montas.
The drop-off after those two is significant.
The Yankees, naturally, are doing their homework and are particularly keen on acquiring Montas.
Are The Yankees Close To Acquiring Montas?
Are they close?
No one knows for sure, but a recent report by SNY’s Andy Martino seems to indicate that talks are ongoing.
“There’s a lot of talk right now about the Yankees and Montas. No trade ‘yet,’ was the intriguing response of a well-connected source,” Martino wrote via Twitter on Monday afternoon.
There’s a lot of talk right now about the Yankees and Montas. No trade “yet,” was the intriguing response of a well-connected source.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) August 1, 2022
Montas, who is 29 years old, has a season-and-a-half remaining of team control.
He is having a solid 2022, with a 3.18 ERA and a 3.36 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP).
He has a rubber arm, as he has completed 104.2 innings already, and has an extensive track record of success.
Montas had an incredible 2.63 ERA in 96 innings back in 2019, when hitting production was extremely high because of the ball.
He was suspended for the second half and didn’t have a good 2020, but he has been stellar in 2021 and 2022.
He would be a tremendous upgrade for the Yankees.
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