Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported on Tuesday morning that the New York Yankees have traded third baseman Chase Headley and pitcher Bryan Mitchell to the San Diego Padres.
The Yankees are getting outfielder Jabari Blash in return, a 28-year-old outfielder that has played in just 99 major-league games.
It looks as though this deal was a salary dump for the Yankees, considering Headley was owed $13 million in 2018. Including the arm of Mitchell could have coaxed the Padres into taking Headley back after he played with the team from 2007-2014.
Mitchell is just 26 years old and has shown the promise of developing into a decent middle-of-the-rotation starter. Moving to the National League could only help his case of that happening.
Headley though was slated to be the Yankees’ starting third baseman next season, but the team’s somewhat unexpected acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins brought on an enormous contract that drastically raised the team’s payroll.
There are options at the position despite Headley’s departure. Miguel Andujar, the team’s No. 5 prospect last season, is not far away from making the jump to the majors. But if the 22-year-old still needs some time to develop, the Yankees could attempt to bring Todd Frazier back on the cheap.
It was clear that Frazier loved being a Yankee, having grown up rooting for them as a child. He also was a glue guy in the clubhouse and an emotional leader during the team’s run to the ALCS this fall. But a season after making $12 million, it would be difficult to assume that he’d be willing to take a drastic hometown discount.
