Chase Headley is a perfect acquisition for the Yankees

Now the New York Yankees can “Chase” October.

When the Yankees acquired Chase Headley from the San Diego Padres Tuesday afternoon, they immediately addressed a huge need in their lineup: hitting.

Although the Chase Headley they received from San Diego may not seem like the same player who hit a career-high .289 three years ago, or the same player who drove in 115 RBI two years ago, Headley is a vast improvement at the plate and at third base compared to Kelly Johnson (.223, 6 HR, 22 RBI) and Zelous Wheeler (.292, 2 HR, 3 RBI in 13 games).

All Yankees third basemen this year have averaged .245 at the plate with 14 home runs.  It is easy to defend Headley’s career-low .229 batting average so far this season simply because nobody in the San Diego Padre organization can hit, especially at Petco Park.  The Padres are hitting an MLB-worst .215 through 98 games this season, 22 points worse than the 29^th ranked Chicago Cubs (.237), while their .274 on-base percentage is also the worst in the Majors.

Hitting is contagious, and so is the lack of it.  The Yankees are hoping that a change of scenery, one where players can actually hit in a park that is very hitter friendly, will wake up Headley’s bat.  As a switch-hitter, Headley (.229, 7 HR, 32 RBI) will benefit from the short porch at right field while the Yankees benefit from having a legitimate third baseman.  In the 13 games since July 4, Headley has hit .339 with four doubles, a home run and eight RBI.

At least the Yankees got him while he’s (hopefully) warming up.

Headley, a two-time Gold Glove award winner, has committed just six errors so far this season at third base, giving the Yankees a steady glove at the hot corner.

The Yankees traded away third baseman Yangervis Solarte and minor-league pitcher Rafael De Paula in the trade where the Yanks also received $1 million in salary relief from San Diego.  In short, they got him almost for free, and got paid a little bit to do so.

New York realized their need for a legitimate position player after the Yankees lost to the last-place Texas Rangers Monday night, committing five errors in the process.

The move to acquire Headley (which isn’t the last move before the deadline) also puts the Yankees in an all-in scenario.  That is, all-in to reach the playoffs.  Although they have only missed the playoffs twice during the Derek Jeter era (2008, 2013), the Yankees have never missed the postseason twice in a row, something that is very possible with them riding a 50-48 record entering tonight’s game against Texas.

If the Yankees are trying to do everything they can to send their captain Jeter out as a winner, why not make the move for a hitter who’s hitting just above .200 but is beginning to warm up.

Considering how bad the AL East is this season, the Yankees can still make a run.

Remember this: the last time they traded for a third baseman just before the deadline, that third baseman sent the Yankees to the World Series.

That year was 2003, that third baseman’s name was Aaron Boone.

People can ask the Yankees why they would trade for a barely-over .200 hitter.

Considering the recent past, why not?