Yankees buy time for Carlos Beltran by adding Martin Prado
By Hayden Kane
The New York Yankees were starting to run pretty darn thin on palatable options for their outfield. The addition of the versatile veteran Martin Prado at this week’s trade deadline has made their lives much easier.
More from MLB
- Braves get dose of bad news on Max Fried as ace nears return
- Shohei Ohtani trade rumors live tracker: Every update so far
- MLB Rumors: Yankees mistake, Cardinals trade package, Cubs choice
- Inside the Clubhouse: What I’m hearing ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline
- After frantic trade day, Kiké Hernandez grateful for second chance with Dodgers
Carlos Beltran, a big free agent addition for this team last off-season at three years, $45 million, has been dealing with injuries all season. The issue in question is bone chips in Beltran’s throwing elbow, something the Yankees were trying to have him work through to get back out in the outfield instead of serving exclusively as a designated hitter. The other noteworthy option is Ichiro Suzuki.
Now that they have Prado, they can take some of that pressure off Beltran and quit rushing him back into that facet of the game. Joe Girardi spoke to that situation this weekend (from the New York Daily News):
"“I think there’s probably a little less of a – I don’t want to use ‘sense of urgency’ – need to get him out there,” Girardi said when asked if he was still hoping Beltran would play the outfield in the coming week. “We have more options – we were carrying three outfielders for a while there. . . . But with Martin, who’s played a lot of outfield, and then having (Suzuki) too, we’ll make sure he’s ready when he goes out there.”"
None of the moves made by the Yankees mid-season have been splashy, but they have all added quality depth to the roster. For a team that has overcome as much as they have thus far to stay relevant, that might be all they need to remain in contention down the stretch.