The Yankees acquired Austin Kearns from Cleveland for a player to be named later or cash, the Indians announced. This acquisition won't make the headlines the Yankees' other trade will, but the Yanks like Kearns for his right-handed bat, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Kearns, 30, is hitting .268/.351/.413 this season and has a .799 OPS against lefties in his career. He'll earn $270K between now and the end of the season and hit free agency afterwards.
Jon Heyman of SI.com first reported that a deal was close, Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted that the Indians were getting a PTBNL and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the deal was complete (all Twitter links).
Despite their busy day, the Yankees are working on another trade, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter).
TheGodfather
okay??? 4th outfielder i guess.
Leafsfan8121
Curtis and Miranda going to triple A for Puma and Kearns
drumzalicious
That would be a bit crazy for them to send Curtis Granderson down.
philly_red
Someone doesn’t know their Yankees’ bench.
drumzalicious
apologies. I immediately thought Curtis Granderson.
VoteForPrado
wrong curtis bud.
Dave_Gershman
Life is good!
Guest
haha why do you love every team so much?
Ian_Smell
I’ve been wondering the same thing.
Dave_Gershman
Yes, I do have a place in my heart for the Pirates. Vote for Pedro! Rookie of the Year! (or Posey) (or Jaime)
VoteForPrado
Or Sanchez. Or Heyward. Or Colvin.
I love this rookie talent this year. I can’t imagine trying to pick just one. I’m not too sure about Strasburg’s eligibility, but I can’t see him not being chosen unless due to lack of playing time.
I put my early vote in for Posey, however.
Dave_Gershman
Gaby Sanchez is a good one that I forgot there. Obviously Heyward is in discussion and so is Ike among plenty others. I agree, great rookie class.
VoteForPrado
Sanchez has been really under radar so far. You don’t hear his name mentioned very often, but he’s having a great season.
Dave_Gershman
he could finish the season with a .305 .360 .490 23 89 line which is quite good for a rookie wouldn’t you say?
VoteForPrado
Haha. Absolutely. And it excites me to say that even that may not be good enough to win the ROTY. And there’s still guys like Mike Stanton who could easily heat up and force their own names into discussion. Venters has been incredible out of the ‘pen, although I don’t see him keeping it up.
Oooh. I just changed my vote. I’ll go for Heisy after the catch he just made to rob Conrad’s homerun. I guess he remembered that walkoff grand slam Conrad had against them..
Dave_Gershman
Yeah well you take Heisey but how about that Votto bomb off Venters? Just kidding with you buy yeah, plenty of choices. And as you said, plenty of time
redsandyanksfan
Or Mike Leake the guy who has never pitched in the pro ball skips minor and was the reds ace pitcher for the first month or more and still going good but i think Gracia or posey gets it
Dave_Gershman
I’ve always said this, I’m just a huge Baseball fan my friend! Just a Huge Baseball fan.
Guest
Are you the SPANdemonium person from before or a really subtle troll? i can’t tell haha
Dave_Gershman
I’m the same SPANdemonium. It’s me. Just had a little problem with the commenting but I’m back! (in Manny Ramirez voice)
Nicolas_C
*Cue Manny Ramirez chuckle
Dave_Gershman
Just waiting for my hug from Frank McCourt at Camelback Ranch diuring the good old Dodger days.
Ian_Smell
Let’s just get it out of our system: it is not going to be for Jesus Montero. Repeat previous statement if you are still being ignorant.
AirmanSD
Darn, I was hoping that the Padres would being able to swing a cheap deal for Kearns, he would be a perfect fit in my opinion. And all it cost is a player to be named later.
danjee
What? Why? After getting Berkman?
geolink2349
-_-
This guy stinks…where’s the pitching?!
VoteForPrado
I love this time of the year.
Soxside_Hitmen
Lol teams around you can’t get stronger if you gobble everybody up! Hey, not hating, if you have the resources to do it, why not?
BaseballFanatic0707
Bench: Check.
Bullpen: Get on it, Cashman.
Nicolas_C
I really liked Kearns, but I knew my White Sox weren’t interested. I wish him luck with the Yanks.
The Jesus
This just in: Yankees acquire Universe.
Sniderlover
For Jesus Montero.
Ian_Smell
They overpaid.
CosaOne
Jesus Montero clearly has more upside than the universe
Donskoy
At least the universe can play catcher
Poop P
Touche
HitsOneHigh.com
Yeah, go Yankees it’s soooo fun watching them win every day of my life!!!11 go Lakers too! MAN I AM GOOD AT PICKING TEAMS!! TOO BAD MY NFL TEAM IS THE DALLAS COWBOYS… :/
moonraker45
He was just pulled out of the Jay game in the 7th
khan0890
i was watching the jays-injuns game 2nite and kearns actually started.
manny acta pulled him midway through the game – in the 6th or 7th inning. by the 8th buck martinez reported that kearns had been traded to the yanks.
originally martinez thought it was just cuz kearns is old.
MatthewRKeller
A little confusing, but I guess this is the Bench acquisition.
drumzalicious
wow. Yanks are just going all kinds of crazy today. Next thing you know they are going to get someone’s closer.
Mike
He’s going to platoon with Granderson
BingWelsh
oh I forgot Joe Girardi told you what he plans on doing with Kearns
He’s a corner OF, the fact he’s a righty doesnt make him a CF platoon mate with Granderson
Moebarguy
Gardner plays CF too…
Mike
Gardner can move to CF when Grandy is out of the lineup
VoteForPrado
The Rays better step it up before they’re out of it.. Not that Kearns makes the Yankees miles better, but it’s a solid acquisition.
BingWelsh
this move is not what the yankees need. Berkman was understandable, a veteran switch hitter who brings versatility to their lineup, Kearns is a washed up OF who is playing decent for an underperforming team plus taking up more space in an already crowded outfield.
If I were cashman I would seriously consider looking into aquiring a legitimate setup man.
Downs isagoodfit for the RIGHT price. Over paying for a rental player, and reliever in his mid 30’s is not a good deal.
Dont forget they still have Roulo WSanchez, Ivan Nova, and Mark Melancon in Scranton…
statnut
Melancon was sent to Houston in the Berkman deal.
Bullpen help seems too expensive, why surrender a top prospect for a guy that might pitch 20-30 innings for you?
switchhitingjesus
You can scratch Melancon off of that list.
BingWelsh
thanks just read that, but statnut I agree with you, Downs is a good reliever, but he gives u a limited output of performance for what the Jays are asking for, plus him hitting free agency and likely not signing with the Yanks doesnt help either.
BeenThereDoneIt
He actually helps anyone. If you sign him, you just got one of the best lefty releivers from the last 4 years. If you dont, you pick up 2 good picks in compensation. Win, win
RhynaldoM
Melancon is the centerpiece of the trade for Berkman.
statnut
I would have asked for another table.
Poop P
The ‘Stros got taken to the cleaners 5 times over!
Evan Look
Not really because Berkman isn’t that good anymore, as a matter of fact he is one of the worst starting first baseman in baseball and has yet to face the great pitching of the AL East teams unlike the few pitchers worth mentioning in the NL central that he faced there.
Jonathunder
That player to be named later better be good, the Indians can’t just give him away!
YanksFanSince78
Kearns and Thames are sort of redundant. Two right handed hitting reserve corner outfielders?
dickylarue
I think they’ll hold onto Thames as a bench bat.
If they send down Miranda and Colin Curtis for Berkman and Kearns, the roster still works.
That said, it’s a slow bench, but when you can start Gardner and Granderson, you have speed in the lineup.
RhynaldoM
We still need help in the bulllpen Chan Ho Park is not the answer I would prefer that the Yankees would bring Nova and/or Sanchez
1f903fcd89
my kind of posting is the type that follows up on the red sox fan’s rants about the yankees: haha it looks like your just mad because the red sox are not even going to the playoffs because they are 8 games behind the yankees!!!!! ALSO you sound like the yankees have been going after every free agent out there, when kearns was the first one. why doesnt everyone else rant about the other teams acquiring players because we are not the only team trying to acquire people.
Evan Look
Just to let you know there is also the wild card and that deficit can be made up on the Yankees (very doubtful, but possible). And you can’t trade for free agents. The thing that irritates many people is that the Yankees don’t actually need to add any players, there team is already good enough. It just gets annoying seeing the Yankees settling for nothing less than a perfect team. No team stands a chance of beating the Yankees in the playoffs this year with the Rays and the Red Sox having the best chance and in which only one of them are going to make it. And Kearns isn’t the first that they have gone after, they’ve inquired on almost every top player with a chance of being traded. You obviously pay no attention to anything or don’t know baseball that well.
Pappy
Um… they havent aquired any top players this trade deadline. And they didn’t last year either. so you dont no what your talking about. Why not make your team perfect if you can? Yours was just a jealous man’s post
icedrake523
The Yankees have submitted a request to MLB to create an 11th position.
coolstorybro222
They just want him for the sake of wanting him
328ChaunceySt
Is that Austin Coins or Austin Kearns? We say kearns in bensonhurst. Either way he’s a flip of a kearn as to ho he’ll perform as a Yank.
TheGodfather
Im guessing the trade that they’re working on now is for Scott Downs. What other relievers are available?