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Jeff PassanESPN
The New York Yankees have acquired right-handed starter Frankie Montas and closer Lou Trivino in a deal with the Oakland Athletics, the Yankees announced on Monday.
The A’s are receiving left-handers Ken Waldichuk and J.P. Sears, right-hander Luis Medina and second baseman Cooper Bowman from the Yankees. Waldichuk, 24, was the fifth-highest ranked prospect in the Yankees’ farm system, according to MLB.com.
The AL-best Yankees have had a busy deadline, acquiring outfielder Andrew Benintendi and rookie reliever Scott Effross before solidifying an already strong rotation and bullpen with the acquisitions of Montas and Trivino.
The trade for Montas is the second involving a highly sought-after starting pitcher this week, following Seattle’s acquisition of right-hander Luis Castillo from the Cincinnati Reds for a four-prospect package.
Montas, a 29-year-old who is not eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season, has shown flashes of excellence since signing with Boston in 2009. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers before moving to the A’s, where he blossomed over the last six seasons into the pitcher who this season has 104.2 innings of 3.18 ERA ball with 109 strikeouts, 28 walks and a dozen home runs allowed.
A shoulder injury sidelined Montas for a mid-July start, but he returned with three shutout innings followed by a five-inning, two-earned run start against Houston. That was enough of a sample to draw a broad market of teams — large market and small.
The Yankees won the Montas sweepstakes and add to their rotation a starter who will slot into a playoff rotation with a fastball-slider-splitter pitch mix that has proven effective all season. Montas went at least five innings in 15 of his first 16 starts, with the only exception a game in which he got hit in the hand on a comebacker and left the game after 1.2 innings.
Trivino, 30, is 1-6 with a 6.47 ERA and 10 saves this season. He’s arbitration eligible next year and won’t become a free agent until 2025.
Waldichuk, who is currently pitching at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, is 6-3 with a 2.71 ERA overall in 17 starts for two clubs in the Yankees’ minor league system this season and has 116 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings.
Sears, 26, is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings for the Yankees in the majors this season and is 1-1 with a 1.67 ERA in 43 innings in Triple-A. Medina, 23, is 4-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 17 starts for Double-A Somerset this season.
Bowman, 22, is hitting .217 with 8 home runs and 35 RBIs for Class-A Hudson Valley this season.