After reports that the Toronto Blue Jays were very close to trading starter J.A. Happ, the deal has been made. It has announced that they will send Happ to the New York Yankees in exchange for INF Brandon Drury and LF Billy McKinney. Ken Rosenthal shared the report on Twitter:
#Yankees getting J.A. Happ for Drury and Billy McKinney, per @Feinsand and @JonHeyman. Drury alone would be quite a score for #BlueJays. He is 25 with three more years of control, albeit with nowhere to play in NY. Happ is 35 and a rental.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2018
New York Yankees Acquire SP J.A. Happ
Happ Overview
Happ has had a long career after being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the third round of the 2004 draft. He would make his MLB debut in 2007 and firmly establish himself as an impressive young pitcher in 2009. That season he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA over 35 appearances that included 23 starts, three complete games, and two shutouts.
The Yankees will be Happ’s sixth team as he has bounced between both leagues throughout his time in MLB. He has amassed 102 wins in his career and is currently 10-6 this season with a 4.18 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 20 starts. He is dependable, reliable, and is yet another example of the Yankees going for it all in 2018. The Yankees still trail the Boston Red Sox by 5.5 games in the AL East, but New York is currently the top Wild Card team with a four-game cushion over Seattle.
It is understandable why the Yankees feel confident in going big. Despite trailing the Red Sox, New York currently sits with a record of 64-36 and boasts one of the most talented lineups in all of MLB. After improving their rotation and adding to the bullpen with the acquisition of Zach Britton, the Yankees will be a very tough out come October.
Blue Jays Return
Drury is an interesting asset for the Jays to pick up in return. He hit 29 home runs with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2016-2017, but he has not found a spot in New York’s lineup. It is true that Drury has struggled this season, but the Yankees are exceptionally deep around the infield. A change of scenario should prove helpful, and the Jays will also have control of him beyond this season. McKinney is a 23-year old MiLB outfielder with 13 home runs over 54 games at Triple-A this season.
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