Just one day ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline, the New York Yankees made their second trade. The Yankees strengthened their bullpen by obtaining rookie reliever Scott Effross from the Chicago Cubs earlier today. The trade pieces from New York have yet to be released to the public.
Although Effross is just a rookie this season, he has been very solid for Chicago thus far. In 44 innings pitched with the Cubs, Effross has a 2.66 ERA with 50 strikeouts. He has played a great role and was a bright spot on a Cubs team that is nothing short of mediocre.
As the Chicago Cubs enter full rebuild mode, many do not think it makes sense to trade away a young piece in Effross. He is in his rookie season and is still protected for five more seasons under contract. However, he is already 28 years, and the Cubs may want younger talent.
New York Yankees fans were more than happy to see Effross come over to New York. The Yanks needed another piece in the bullpen, and he definitely fills that role. Aroldis Chapman has been vastly underperforming this season, and the Yankees needed someone like Effross in that spot.
It seems that the New York Yankees have ultimately won their first two trades of this year's deadline, picking up star Andrew Benintendi and now Effross.
Although the Yankees are the best team in Major League Baseball, that does not mean that they cannot get better. They need to make moves like these at the deadline to strengthen themselves for the playoffs.
Will the New York Yankees dominance translate to the playoffs?
As of now, the Yankees have been the best team in the MLB this season. They are one of the most dominant teams baseball has seen in the past decade and are a lock for this year's playoffs. New York's success is due to how well-rounded the team is this year. They consistently rank in the top 10 for the majority of stats on both sides of the field.
However, will the Yankees success translate to the postseason? It seems that in recent years, New York has dominated in the regular season but choked in the playoffs. This season could definitely be different for them.