The Yankees made a big move in the wake of Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Mets, acquiring defensive back Andrew Benintende of the Royals. In doing so, they sent promotion prospects: Chandler Champlain, TJ Sikkema, and Beck Way to Kansas City. The Yankees have often been linked to the ex-Red Sox player, and it seems like rumors have been circulating about something.
Now that the deal is done and the Yankees have added an upgrade to the team, let’s take a look at the reactions from all over the media and the internet.
One of the main concerns about the Yankees’ acquisition of Benintende was, in the very case of 2022, its vaccination status. A few weeks ago, he wasn’t able to go with the royal family to the Toronto series because he wasn’t vaccinated. While the Yankees only have one series left against the Blue Jays in the regular season, they are a potential playoff opponent, and that’s something they definitely had to consider.
The Benintendi vaccination status was never discussed, sources and . tell me Tweet embed. The Yankees weren’t worried about a single streak they had left in Toronto, or had received some indication that Benintende might get a vaccine. TOR was also mixed with Benintendi, and so were MIL and LAD.
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) 28 July 2022
…or maybe they didn’t think about it much? Either way, it looks like Benintende will get it.
The word is that Benintendi has told people he’s going to get vaccinated. The trade is final, so the Yankees must think they will.
JonHeyman 28 July 2022
As for the player himself, the Yankees themselves seem pretty excited about the deal and the new addition to the squad.
“Adding a guy like this would definitely give us a little pumping, that’s for sure.”
Aaron Judge reacts to reports of Andrew Benintende joining the Yankees. pic.twitter.com/T2gTzTcp20
Yes Network (YESNetwork) 28 July 2022
He’s a guy who’s done really well this year, and he’s been pretty good at getting to the base, which would probably really fit into the Yankees’ lineup.
Andrew Benentende 2022 squad:
Bachelor: .320 (1st)
Hits: 104 (1)
OBP: .387 (III)
wRC+: 126 (14th)– New York Yankees stats (@nyyankeesstats) 28 July 2022
As for what the Yankees have given up, there are some solid prospects with potential in the deal, but it looks like the royals were willing to go into more possibilities rather than sourcing any of the huge, high-impact talent.
Sikkema lost 20/21 to pandemic/injury and qualified for Base 5 this winter, so it was probably the best commercial piece anywhere. Champlain, 9th round in 2121, is 23 in Low-A. Method and Sikkema’s High-A. Every 3 years a few. Another powerful move from Depth by Cashman. https://t.co/NG2NLeDHzx
LouDiPietroWFAN 28 July 2022
Despite this, Sikkema in particular is an arm that has shown quite a bit of promise, especially this year.
TJ Sikkema is an under-the-radar addition to the Farm Royals system. Injuries early in his career hampered his development, but in his first full season with the minors this year, he was the dominant one. pic.twitter.com/tW5raKPhz1
ReturnPackage 28 July 2022
As one of the biggest deals of the Deadline Trade season so far, it’s also an acquisition that could set the market for other deals to come, especially since Benintendi is set to be a free agent at the end of the season.
Benintendi is a free agent at the end of the season, so the Yankees have given up three mid-level prospects to hire him for the extended run and post-season. The first measure of what the rental market might look like.
– Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) 28 July 2022
It’s also not hard to read in this move that the Yankees wanted to promote Joey Gallo. One of his 2021 deadline acquisitions, Gallo struggled in both seasons with the Yankees and was unplayable for points this year. Benintendi represents not only an improvement in numbers in 2022 but also a difference of style in the player.
Two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the acquisition of Joey Gallo, the Yankees are pretty much gaining their opposite pole to take their place. This season hits[جالو].161 / 38.1[ك]percent. Both 2d worse among those with 250 PA. Benintende scores 320 (5th best) / 13.3 thousand percentage points (top 18)
– Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) 28 July 2022
While there is nothing concrete at the time of writing, it seems fairly likely that the Yankees will try to move Gallo at some point over the next couple of days.
For the most part, this appears to be a solid deal for the Yankees, other than that it probably takes them out of the race in favor of Juan Soto. (Although they can still do so if they want to.) What he didn’t do was take them out of the race towards one of their other main targets, Reds player Luis Castillo.
I hope Benintende gets vaccinated and I also hope the Yankees get Castillo. I’m glad to see the Yankees move in well before the deadline. It didn’t hurt that Kavkaz Center was in town this weekend.
Randy Wilkins (@pamsson) 28 July 2022
Castillo ended up going to the Mariners, but none of those three potential teams would have been the difference-maker in a potential deal.
In this deal, they manage to add a very good bat and far from emptying the farm system.
We still have a few days before the deadline, and there are still plenty of potential deals to be made. It remains to be seen who and what exactly the Yankees will target, but they have now jumped into the pool and done some splash.