Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did not want to leave Adam Ottavino for the Boston Red Sox on Monday. He was desperate to switch the appeaser for a salary cut, but hoped to strike a deal with another team to save $ 9 million for this season’s luxury tax limit.
Any other team.
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Cashman sought out and received a commercial offer from someone else before making one of the most surprising deals in his nearly quarter century as GM, Ottavino and launching the Frank German prospectus to Red Sox for future consideration.
Why Boston?
Cashman explained on Friday:
“In the end, I needed to get some flexibility. I would have preferred the Boston Red Sox not to provide that flexibility, but in the end I was dealing with two organizations.
“The opportunity to really provide myself with the flexibility to pursue other options, or a number of other options, I would have to hire a potential client for. The prospect of going to Boston was a minor version of the requirement that I had to go elsewhere, so it pushed me to the Red Sox. “
It makes sense this winter because Yankees and Red Sox are in a different place. The Yankees think they can make it and win the World Series this year, while the Red Sox, although just three seasons away from winning a title, are still a little rebuilt after finishing last at AL East last season with a Marca 24- 36.
The first exchange for the Yankees and Red Sox since September 2014, the second since 1997 and the sixth in the last 54 years was basically a handout for Boston, which is receiving a reliever that was one of the best in baseball two years ago, before having difficulties last year. In addition, Boston is getting a decent launch prospect that could become a major champion in 2022 or 2023.
“I thought (Red Sox baseball operations president) Chaim Bloom, it was a smart move on his part,” said Cashman. “He needs to import a player who will have a year of recovery, I’m sure in Boston, because it is difficult to judge a player in a short season. Otto is better than his numbers last year.
“The last thing I wanted to do was put it in the hands of our competitors, but, in the end, I’m not afraid to do business with anyone if it serves any purpose. So this was a payroll flexibility maneuver. “
After that wage eviction, the Yankees replaced Ottavino by signing free agent Darren O’Day on Wednesday for a one-year, $ 1.75 million contract with an option for 2022. This addition will likely give them money to bring back free agent Brett Gardner or add someone before this year’s exchange deadline.
“The judgment at the end, for the Yankees, offers the opportunity to use these finances for multiple uses at the Major League level, as we are trying to win now,” said Cashman. “The Boston Red Sox gets a perspective for the future and gets a player who can compete in the present, which solves their interest, because they are going to try to compete now. And if it doesn’t work, they can negotiate (Ottavino) and get another player elsewhere on the line. So I understand what Chaim Bloom was doing.
“I hope Yankees fans understand why we are doing what we do … but I want to thank Ottavino for his efforts while we are here.”
Ottavino, 35, is a native New Yorker who has enjoyed spending the past two seasons playing for the team he supported as a child. Signed by the Yankees with a $ 27 million contract for three years two winters ago, Ottavino used his wipeout slider to have a great first season in New York, posting an ERA of 1.90 out of 73 outings in 2019. He pitched for a 5.89 ERA over 24 departures last year, but an appearance with no entry and six races killed his ERA.
Ottavino was playing at Yankee Stadium when it was traded. This led to a meeting with Cashman, then manager Aaron Boone, who was also the stadium.
“He and I had a chance to talk,” said Boone. “It was a little strange, but I told him that he is someone I have a lot of respect for. He did a great job for us. He was great at our club.
“He’s going to be tough on us, especially with many of our righties. I hope he probably plays a lot of games against us this year. I hope that we can find a way to have some success against him. “
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