Needing to add another starting pitcher, despite their limited luxury tax space, the Yankees traded Pirates for right-handed Jameson Taillon. In return, New York sent four candidates to Pittsburgh. Let’s evaluate the trade.
The deal
Yankees acquire: RHP Jameson Taillon
Pirates acquire: RHP Miguel Yajure, RHP Roansy Contreras, INF Maikol Escotto and OF Canaan Smith
Sorting the New York Business Side
The Yankees increased their already volatile initial rotation, with another high-pitched pitcher coming out of a serious injury. Taillon did not shoot in 2020 while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. Injuries and testicular cancer surgery have sometimes impeded his progress throughout his career, but Taillon, 29, is still young and talented enough to make good use of his early potential.
How exciting was Taillon’s prospect? Pirates selected him as second overall in the 2010 MLB draft, among two of the game’s biggest stars, Bryce Harper (No. 1) and Manny Machado (No. 3). He had two serious injuries in the minors – his first Tommy John surgery (2014) and hernia surgery (’15) – before making his MLB debut in ’16, when he made 18 appearances and recorded 3.38 ERA and 7, 4 eliminations for nine. That July, he was hit on the head by a 105 mph boost, but, perhaps unwisely, was allowed to stay in the game.
Shanna Lockwood / USA TODAY Sports
He started off strong in 2017, before undergoing surgery in early May to remove a mass in one of his testicles. At the time he I wrote on Twitter, “Today I lost a piece of my ‘masculinity’. But, today I’m feeling more like a man than ever. ”Five weeks later, he returned to the mountain. In 19, he took another line out of his head.
Still, Taillon has been excellent whenever he shoots without interruption. In 2018, he went from 14 to 10 with an ERA of 3.20 with 8.4 K / 9 in 32 matches, including two complete games (one shutout). He made seven starts in 19 before injuring his arm again and needing his second Tommy John surgery. His then teammate, the right-handed Trevor Williams, said at the time: “We are marking him as a Comeback Player of the Year in 2021.” That could be a smart prediction – in the American League.
In fact, the Yankees have at least two Comeback candidates in their rotation. Less than two weeks ago, they signed Corey Kluber, twice winner of Cy Young, who was limited to 36 2/3 entries in the last two seasons due to injuries. Luis Severino, the ex-ace, will start the year on the injured list, but should return in 2021, after having been operated on by Tommy John last February. After switching to Taillon, the New York opening day rotation is designed to look like this:
1. Gerrit Cole, RHP
2. Corey Kluber, RHP
3. Jameson Taillon, RHP
4. Jordan Montgomery, LHP
5. Deivi García, RHP / Domingo Germán, RHP
As I wrote last Thursday, after the shortest season in history, it is risky for the Yankees to trust so many pitchers who are young or are coming back from injuries, or are young and coming back from injuries. But after negotiating for Taillon, the Yankees may be better equipped than most to deal with these concerns. In addition to García, their main candidate, the Yankees also have right-wingers Clarke Schmidt and Michael King, who can take a rotating seat if necessary.
Recently, a scout who saw Taillon recovering from Tommy John’s surgery, said The AthleticLindsey Adler’s Taillon “can be a # 2 when all is said and done.”
Taillon will win $ 2.25 million this year, and he will not be a free agent until after the 2022 season. That, and four good prospects, is an appropriate price to pay for a pitcher who, even after his second Tommy surgery. John, you may be one of the best players in the league.
Note: B +
Sorting the Pittsburgh Business Side
With their low payroll, finishing last and recent transactions, the Pirates are clearly in rebuild mode.
In the offseason, they traded slugger Josh Bell for Nationals and right-handed Joe Musgrove for Padres. It made sense that they would also negotiate with Taillon, with two years of control of the club remaining, before the start of the season.
For Musgrove, his biggest pitcher last year, the Pirates received a package of four players, with field player Hudson Head, 19, his sixth player standing out for MLB.com. Considering that Taillon is leaving his second Tommy John surgery, Pittsburgh has done very well with his return from the Yankees.
Miguel Yajure, 22, has four positive shots, with a good command and a fastball that ends in 97. He should be ready to enter the Pittsburgh rotation sometime this season. Roansy Contreras, 21, has three solid pitches, although her potential is more like a deep piece than a mid- or frontal rotation starter. Canaan Smith, 21, is a powerful left-handed outside defender, and infielder Maikol Escotto, 18, has impressive brute strength, although he is a long way from the big leagues.
Serie B