The Yankees got walked off on to end the Subway Series Wednesday, but they made a big splash in the trade market moments afterwards.
As broken by Jack Curry during YES’ postgame show and confirmed by the team soon after, the Yankees have acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Royals for three minor-league pitchers: RHPs Beck Way and Chandler Champlain and LHP T.J. Sikkema.
None of those three are on the 40-man roster, but the Yankees did have an open spot after designating Shane Greene for assignment over the weekend, so they will only have to make a corresponding move on the 26-man roster when they activate Benintendi.
Benintendi, 28, is a true rental who will cost the Yankees about $1.5 dollars – the Red Sox are paying $2.8 million of his $6.6 million salary for the season, so he will cost the Yankees a little more than one-third of the remaining $3.8 million.
The former Red Sox outfielder entered Wednesday hitting a career-best .321 with a .788 OPS, three home runs, and 39 RBI in 92 games, and was named an All-Star for the first time earlier this month.
There were reports about whether or not Benintendi's vaccination status would scare off clubs - he was one of several Royals who was unvaccinated and not allowed to go to Toronto recently - but there is belief that he will become vaccinated as necessary for the Yankees' late-season and postseason run.
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Of the players the Royals will acquire, lefty Sikkema is the highest-rated prospect, No. 19 on the Yankees' MLB.com Top 30. Originally the No. 38 overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft, Sikkema missed two full seasons - 2020 because of the pandemic, 2021 due to injury - but has come back with a vengeance in 2022, going 1-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings over 11 games (10 starts) for High-A Hudson Valley.
Way was the Yankees' fourth-round pick in 2020, and was ranked No. 21 on the Yankees' MLB.com Top 30 Prospects list. The righty is 5-5 with a 3.73 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings over 15 starts at Hudson Valley.
Champlain was the Yankees' ninth-round pick in 2021 but did not play until this season, where he is 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA and 94 Ks in 74 1/3 innings over 16 games (15 starts) for Low-A Tampa.
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