The Yankees were very active at the trade deadline trying to solve a major efficiency in the batting order, having too many righties and not enough left-handed hitters.
Looking to add a bit of diversity in the lineup, general manager Brian Cashman executed brilliantly, trading for Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo and first baseman from Chicago, Anthony Rizzo.
Both players bring slugging ability from the left side of the plate, and Rizzo has already hit two homers wearing pinstripes. In the Yankees’ series sweep over the Miami Marlins, Rizzo recorded five total hits as Gallo managed to get on base three times. The first baseman has elevated the offense tremendously, earning Cashman glowing reviews for his moves.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic raved about Cashman’s work at the trade deadline:
Best job of getting other teams to pay players’ salaries: The Yankees. That’s right, the biggest-market-in-baseball Yankees. They got the Rangers and Cubs to pay the full 2021 salaries of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo, and the Yankees also didn’t have to part with any of their best prospects in those trades. They also received cash considerations from the Angels to help cover some of Heaney’s salary.
The most impressive part is that Cashman managed to get their salaries paid for so the Yankees could stay underneath the $210 million luxury tax threshold. The Steinbrenner’s were reportedly understanding if they had to push over, but Cashman managed to find a way to add great talent without having to pay for it.
Gallo is earning $6.2 million and Rizzo is on the books for $16.5 million this season, accounting for $22.7 million the Yankees managed to displace. A brilliant piece of managing by Cashman to improve the roster, not that it should’ve needed it in the first place. Luckily, both Gallo and Rizzo are traditionally healthy players, so the Yankees can feel confident depending on them and relying on their skills to be available on a daily basis.
As the Yankees crawl their way back into the AL East race, currently sitting seven games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, their best bet is competing for the Wild Card. They sit 2.5 games back from the Oakland Athletics. They’re within striking distance, and these new additions should provide them the firepower to make a full comeback.