After another season playing second fiddle to the Red Sox, the New York Yankees looked to add a potential impact arm to help offset that Boston offense in 2019.
That solution was acquiring LHP James Paxton from the Mariners in exchange for a trio of prospects including left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield, right-handed pitcher Erik Swanson and outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams.
Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan first reported the deal.
Source: James Paxton has been traded to the New York Yankees.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 19, 2018
The move for Seattle doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering Seattle was looking at a full-fledged rebuild this offseason. This of course despite Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto downplaying the rebuild rumors. Earlier this month, Dipoto told MLB.com’s Greg Johns and Maria Guardado the Mariners were still hoping to compete for a playoff spot:
“We know what the [Houston] Astros, [Boston] Red Sox, [Oakland] A’s, Yankees and [Cleveland] Indians look like. We don’t want to be a perpetual competitor for the second Wild Card. We want to build a championship roster. If that means in 2019 we field as competitive a team as we can while earmarking and gathering talent, we’re not looking to rip our club down. We’re just too talented to do that.”
Clearly the Mariners were striking while the iron was hot with Paxton who’s coming off his best season as a pro setting career marks with 28 starts, 160.1 innings and 208 strikeouts to help propel the Mariners post their best record (89-73) since 2003. Furthermore, with two years of club control still on Paxton’s deal the return for the lefty was undoubtedly increased and provided interested teams a little more insurance that they would be able to retain him beyond the 2019 campaign.
For the Yankees, they add to a pitching contingent that already includes Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino while also re-signing CC Sabathia this offseason. Sabathia however at this point in his career is more of a depth guy than anyone else.