The New York Yankees are reportedly in talks with the Boston Red Sox to trade for Mookie Betts. This is, easily, the DUMBEST move Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner could make this offseason.
For Starters, the Yankees are LOADED in the Outfield!
The Yankees have Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman, and Clint Frazier, with the likely resigning of Brett Gardner in the Yankees immediate future. This also includes Estevan Florial, the Yankees top outfield prospect in the minors.Â
Why… on earth… if they’re trying to stay under a luxury tax threshold… would they trade for a $28 million contract… just to add… another outfielder?
You’re going to need to include MINIMUM one (if not two) outfield players to make this trade work. The ONLY person the Yankees should be trading for in Boston is either David Price or Chris Sale. Because our starting rotation is garbage, and it’s only getting worse with the retirement of CC Sabathia, and the impending free agency of Masahiro Tanaka.
You would HAVE to dump Giancarlo Stanton to the Red Sox to make this an even viable deal in regards to the overall budget. And Mookie Betts is set to make more money than Giancarlo Stanton next year (Mookie’s aforementioned $28 million compared to Stanton’s $26 million). Not to mention Staton’s no-trade clause makes it harder for the Yankees to think about moving him. To offset Stanton’s mammoth contract, IF Stanton stays a Yankee through 2020, and doesn’t exercise the opt-out in his contract, the Marlins will pay us $30 million. (baseball-reference.com)
Secondly… WHY?!?!?
The Yankees, as mentioned, are stacked in the outfield. Okay, so Aaron Hicks is going to be on the IR list till MINIMUM June. Why would you trade for Mookie Betts, when all anyone is talking about is the fact the Yankees are going to try to stay under the second tier of the luxury tax? You can resign Brett Gardner for a fraction of what you’re going to have to pay Mookie Betts.
Seriously, you need a center fielder through the first half of the season. Judge, Frazier, and Stanton are all career corner outfielders. Tauchman is the only one who has a centerfield experience. And, as I said, you can bring Brett Gardner back (after his career season last year) to give yourself just a little extra help.
And the one thing that the Yankees need for 2020 is STARTING! PITCHING! NOT! MORE! OUTFIELDERS!
Remember the $30 million the Yankees will get paid if Stanton stays a Yankee and doesn’t opt out after 2020? That would offset Chris Sale’s 2020 salary. Eduardo Rodriguez is poised to do big things. and is signed through 2020. THAT’S who you trade for from the Red Sox.
Or, if you’re truly concerned about staying within a budget, sign a free agent pitcher and hammer out the contract so he gets paid what he wants, but it says within what you’re willing to spend year after year.Â
Let Mookie stay in Boston. Mookie is above what the definition means… but do you know what the definition of Mook is?! I do. Why would you want a mook on the Yankees?