The Boston Red Sox are trading blows with the New York Yankees, especially on the trade market.
The best rivalry in baseball has been all it’s made up to be. The Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball and they are playing like it. The New York Yankees have showed they are a huge threat, but the club has shown it’s youthful struggle.
With that said, the two teams have each traded for a starting pitcher before the trade deadline. Suffice to say, these clubs will be battling it out deep into October., although the Red Sox have gotten the better starter.
The Red Sox dealt for righty Nathan Eovaldi in exchange for lefty Jalen Beeks. This trade was good for both sides, because Boston had uncertainty in the rotation and the Tampa Bay Rays acquired a controllable piece.
The Rays get 6.5 years of control out of Beeks, which is great as he can be slotted right into the rotation or utilized as a long man. For Boston, it was able to get a dominant arm that can strike people out.
The club may use him coming out of the bullpen as the season progresses and when Sox starters come back healthy.
Eovaldi signed a two-year deal with the Rays, which last year was lost for Tommy John surgery. With that said, the Red Sox will get the right-hander for the rest of the season and then he will become a free agent. He has a 4.26 ERA this season, but that doesn’t show his true self.
The right-hander has a nasty fastball with movement, as well as a cutter that keeps hitters uncomfortable. His unorthodox delivery aids to his success and his recovery from surgery to intriguing starter is a storyline to continue watching the rest of the season.
On the Yankees end, the club just traded for J.A. Happ. He is 35 years old and the club gave up substantial value to get him. The Toronto Blue Jays received third baseman Brandon Drury and prospect Billy McKinney.
Drury, who has three years of control left, was a spare part with the Yankees and had nowhere to play. He is only 25 and should be a quality player with Toronto as he gets regular playing time.
He is a guy who could peak at 20 homers a season and hit around .250-.265. His defense is adequate, as he can play multiple positions. McKinney is a left-handed hitting outfield prospect with room to grow, as he is still developing his power potential.
The Yankees gave a lot of control up to get a half season of Happ, who hasn’t pitched that well with a 4.18 ERA. This looks like a counter-move/desperation move for New York, considering it came right after the Red Sox got Eovaldi.