By Marc Auker
On the day of the Major League Baseball (MLB) trade deadline, the New York Yankees made a move for starting pitcher Sonny Gray in a trade with the Oakland Athletics. The deal sent James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler to the A’s.
Gray, 27, has a record of 6-5 with an ERA of 3.43 this season. He’s joining a Yankees squad that is first in the American League (AL) East and has one of the best bullpens in baseball. With only 59 games remaining in the regular season, Gray has a real chance to help the Yankees make a push to finish the season strong, win the AL title and reach the World Series.
The Athletics gained three of the top prospects in New York’s stacked minor-league system. Mateo, 22, is batting .300 in 30 games at shortstop this season in Double-A. Fowler, 22, actually played in a game for the Yankees this season, but suffered an injury during his debut and was put on the 60-day disabled list. The Yankees selected Kaprielian, 23, in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He has sat out this season due to Tommy John surgery, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
