The Yankees and Twins have agreed to a trade that will send left-hander Jaime Garcia from Minnesota to New York in exchange for Double-A right-hander Zack Littell and Triple-A lefty Dietrich Enns, the Yankees announced on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Garcia will bring some stability to the Yankees rotation, having logged a 4.29 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 and a 55 percent ground-ball rate between Atlanta and Minnesota this season. He’s worked six or more innings in 15 of his 19 starts this year, which is especially encouraging for a Yankees team that features a deep bullpen — particularly following the trade that netted them both David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox.
Garcia is a free agent at season’s end, making him a pure rental. However, the Yankees reportedly plan to continue their talks with the A’s regarding a longer-term rotation piece, Sonny Gray, even after completing the Garcia trade. Whether those talks come to fruition remains to be seen, but Garcia alone is a nice step up for a Yankees rotation that recently lost Michael Pineda to Tommy John surgery. The veteran Garcia, who comes with a solid postseason track record and a World Series ring (2011 Cardinals) will join Luis Severino, CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery in the starting five.
Garcia’s stint with the Twins lasted less than a week. Minnesota’s declining play and lengthy winning streaks for the Royals and Indians have created a seven-game gap for the Twins in the American League Central, which is steep enough for the front office to sell off some short-term assets. The Twins, though, agreed to pay the remainder of Garcia’s $12MM salary when acquiring him from the Braves in exchange for right-hander Huascar Ynoa, and they’ll reportedly pay that figure down to the pro-rated league minimum for the Yankees.
Minnesota will remain on the hook for about $4MM in this trade, which effectively amounts to buying a pair of prospects that the Twins clearly feel to be superior to the player they initially surrendered to acquire Garcia. Littell ranks 22nd among Yankees prospects on MLB.com’s midseason top 30 list. (By comparison, Ynoa ranked 22nd in a weaker Twins farm system.)
Littell, 21, was the Mariners’ 11th-round pick back in the 2013 draft and landed in the Yankees organization as part of last November’s James Pazos trade. After a strong 2016 campaign split between two Class-A levels, he’s taken another step forward in 2017. In a combined 115 1/3 innings between Class-A Advanced and Double-A, he’s worked to a 1.87 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 52 percent ground-ball rate. MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo write that Littell has three average or better offerings with above-average control.
The 26-year-old Enns isn’t considered to be one of the Yankees’ best prospects, but he has an excellent track record of results in his minor league career. The Central Michigan University product has never posted an ERA higher than 2.94 in a full season, and he’s worked to a 1.99 ERA with 9.3 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 45 1/3 innings between Triple-A and a Rookie-level injury rehab start this year. Enns is on the 40-man roster, though he was just added this past offseason, so he has two more option years remaining beyond the 2017 campaign.
Yahoo’s Jeff Passan first broke news that the two sides were moving toward a deal. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi first mentioned that Littell could be involved in the deal. ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that talks were at the “1-yard lins.” FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweeted that there was an agreement. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that Enns was also in the deal (Twitter link). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand added details on the financial component (Twitter links).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Big time move. Look out Astros.
Garcia isn’t going to add much to the Yankees. He’s good for 3-4 innings and has a meltdown in the 5th inning. Astros handled him well this year. He will be a non factor for the Yanks.
I’m hoping yukong was being sarcastic.
You haven’t been watching him lately. Over the last four games, he’s been about 6-7 innings, 2-3 runs. His last game registered 7k/3bb. He’s a solid 5 if he doesn’t regress.
small sample size
So is the one game vs Astro’s.
+1
So now Astro fans are experts. ?? The irrelevant Astros. Bandwagon Astro fans??? I can’t talk to mis informed bandwagoners. Shake me when you have over 10 WS.
I look forward to only hearing commentary from Cardinal and Yankee fans. Surely, it’ll be a doctoral dissertation on how to build good teams. Nobody else could possibly understand how to do that.
with Larry Rothchild pitching coach…he will be a better then a might think….the Yankees have the bullpen to match..even going 6 for a rental…not bad…
Lol. Big difference from Gray than Garcia. He’s not even a poor mans Gray.
Yank fans crack me up. Houston is far far from worried about the Yanks lol
Nobody on the Yankees side compared him to Gray.
He’s there to be the #5 guy to eat up innings and deliver the game within reach to the bullpen.
Houston fans crack us up as they haven’t won anything yet. Keep bragging and call us when you win something.
Still don’t have enough pitching! Really don’t have a frontline starter in the rotation! Sabathia is way passed his prime and Tanaka is so-so this year! Pitching is what wins World Series
So this is a one for one swap?
I doubt it. Probably 2 or 3 low level prospects.
Why would you doubt it? Minnesota traded him for a low level prospect. Yankees appeared to have done the same.
Update – Sherman is saying it’s for Littell and one lower level prospect
And it’s Dietrick Enns. What the heck Cash?
What a horrible deal for the Yankees. Garcia better become the next Graeme Lloyd for this deal to make sense. Minnesota made out take bandits, or is this Cash just trying to make up for the Hicks/Murphy deal
They have no future with the Yankees. But still…could have used them as pieces for something bigger. We lost this one. Oh well…can’t win them all. And if by some divine miracle the Yankees win it all this year, it’ll have been worth it.
Garcia for Littell and Enns…
That’s why…
It says the Yankees are still going to try to trade for Sonny Gray. Yes the Yankees may have overpaid but it’s worth it as a backup plan if the Yankees don’t get Sonny Gray or any other pitcher and they are stuck with Caleb Smith every 5 days.
Good points. I also did not realize both Littell and Enns were Rule V eligible.
Yeah, Enns is 26 as well . I think Cash is all about clearing that Rule V logjam up, and hes thinking in his head he basically traded James Pazos and a 26 year old minor leaguer that he would have to protect for Rule V for a rental starter. And the Twins are paying Garcia’s salary.
Enns and Littel probably were not going to pitch in NY this year so it makes sense to shuttle them off for something before they get lost for nothing.
There not getting Gray. No Fraiser no Adams no GT no Gray. The A,s already said they are walking n closing the door n try to reopen it in the off season.
See what you get in the offseason. Don’t A’s fans watch the goings on during the hot stove season.
I disagree….in order to use them for something bigger, they have to be wanted by someone and to date, have never read any rumors involving either of them.
Both were on the 40 man roster and reading this blog, there is going to be a logjam for the Yankees on the 40 man…..decisions have to be made and adding somebody that can help with this season, and possibly next of they decide to sign him based on performance, just may work out well.
APOLOGIZE!!
Appears that way
Small correction but says he’s played with St Louis and Minnesota this year.
Ha, thanks. Apparently I can’t shake the Garcia-Cardinals connection from my brain. Appreciate the heads up.
The cardinals traded Garcia to the braves this past offseason, so he has not played for the Cards in 2017
Good job dude, a good 10 mins after the author admitted his mistake.
I misread the comments. My most sincere apologies.
Hi I just wanted to check in and let you know that he has not played for the Cardinals this year and has only played for the Braves and Twins.
He’s no better then Montgomery. If they get Gray too then who’s out of the rotation?
Montgomery has been shaky the past month or so (with the exception of his last start). Also may have an innings limit.
They won’t getting Gray besides Yanks offers Gleyber or Chance Adams! eitherwise not gonna happen
Oh another person who sits in the mind of Brian Cashman!
Good one..let them trade him this winter and get even less. You gotta feel bad for anyone in that organization.
“Eitherwise” ah, you all create some amazing Frankenstein words here.
Montgomery has been their best starter aside from Severino no way they take him out unless they are concerned about innings.
It will go : Tanaka, Severino, Gray, Garcia and CC. Just wait until CC is down and Montgomery will be back.
Yeah!! Remember, this is the last year for CC!!!
Montgomery is the odd man out which is fine as he has options left. Garcia is a solid 5th starter with plenty of experience. If we can get gray i see the rotation looking something like 1. Severino 2. Tanaka 3. Gray 4. CC 5. Garcia
If Montgomery gets really gets removed from the rotation, he’s not getting optioned. He’ll be a LOOGY
Monty probably in as middle relief. Sick bullpen I have to say. All yanks need from CC and Garcia is 5 solid innings and let the bullpen come in.
Monty has an innings limit and will head to the pen. Garcia is better than Cessa and Smith so it is an upgrade.
There not getting Gray. That is over. That why they got Garcia. Funny Yank fans.
* They’re * That’s *Yankee…funnier A’s fan
Caleb Smith
Jaime Garcia Minnesota jerseys will be hot like Piazza Marlins jerseys.
Littell is definitely a little steep for someone that we will have for just a few months…but Littell had zero future with the Yankees anyway at least. I just think we could have used him as an additional chip in a trade for a bigger player.
And they just gave up Dietrick Enns too.
Might have lost him in Rule 5
Enns was already on the 40 man.
Yeah but this clears a 40 man spot for Garcia now.
He was on the 40 but was probably one of the next in line to be DFA’d to make room for someone else.
The Twins have to retire Jaime’s number.
A 4.29 era should translate to about a 6 at Yankee stadium and in AL east. Only a minimal upgrade over Smith at the cost of a decent prospect.
His ERA won’t jump that much. He’s a lefty, so the short porch in right isn’t as much a problem and he’s a ground ball specialist
Not every day you can flip a pitcher for Future Hall of Famer.
And waiting on the article from Sherman about Littel’s falling prospect stock.
Haha glad someone else see that!
Sees
How much stock do you think he possibly head as a #22 ranked prospect? lol. You realize the Yankees traded for him last year for a reliever, right?
Hey ya Eck. How’s future HOF Devers doing so far?
35% better than the average mlb player this year.
So he’s at about a 3 WAR already? Wow. Must make Trout look like a little leaguer
He has a 135 wRC+. League average is 100. Do I have to explain how percentages work?
No you don’t but I can explain how small samples work.
Open a wing for him at Cooperstown! Small sample size theater.
You asked how Devers was doing “so far”
You get the answer to that
You’re upset at what the answer is tho so you try to chance your question away from the “so far” you specificly asked about?
:/
“How’s future HOF Devers doing so far?”
‘So far’ indicates a small sample size, Mike.
Touché.
Devers has looked really good so far. The bat speed is tremendous his defense has been good overall and his offspeed pitch recognition has been really good. The best thing I have seen is the easy oppo power he has hit two balls that just went foul oppo. The kids a keeper even after the league inevitably adjusts to him.
But the Yankees already traded Refsnyder…
I knew the Twins would get more than the braves did
The Braves could have also gotten a better prospect if they had paid for the remainder of Garcia’s salary. But they chose not to.
Which is just dumb. Any team that’s out of it should pay the remainder of a rental’s contract in order to get more in terms of prospects.
Is it possible this is just a move to get the A’s to lower their price for Gray?
I think this is a move to show the A’s that the Yankees don’t need to meet their price to upgrade their starters
Yeah, show the A’s. That we over paid for Garcia. That was a stupid deal.
This move is for rotation depth for this year and trading prospect who need to be protected from the rule five draft. Littel is only 22 and has been lighting all the level he had been up so far. He will be a major pitcher in about 3 years. I know he really didnt fit into the long term plans for the Yanks, but they could have traded him for a better pitchers.Its Charlie Morton all over again.
Dwak15 Not even close. The A,s are firm what they want and pretty much have closed the door till next year n off season. The Yanks had to get someone. This is pretty much the nail that closes the door. If anything it makes the A’s asking price stronger. No matter you want to think. It is reality
A’s aren’t lowering their price on Gray just because the Yankees acquired Garcia. Gray is still controllable so his value will remain high as long as he pitches consistently well. Depending on how the league’s front offices feel about Littell, the A’s could use this trade as a comparison and say that if Garcia netted a decent prospect then Gray should net multiple good prospects. The point I’m trying to make is thatif the consensus around the league is that Yankees might’ve overpaid for Garica by setting the market for starting pitchers, it would drive the price up for other starting pitchers on the market.
By that logic the Twins had already set the market but not giving up much for Garcia the first time.
I don’t think anyone around the league sets prices for their pieces based on others unless it is a steep overpay. Which the Yankees did not steeply overpay. Enns and Littel had no spot on the Yankees and were both going to face the Rule V crunch.
A =/= B
Think the Twins messed up by waiting to long to make a move. Why teams wait so long to make a move when they are in contention is beyond me. Twins had a chance a month ago think thats when they should have acquired some help to stay ahead of Royals and Indians.
Same can be said for Texas.
Its like paying the minimum on a credit card trying to get by.
Texas has never truly been in contention. Sure they had a nice win streak, but that was an outlier. The Rangers just aren’t built to do any damage as a playoff team. They took a very conservative approach to the offseason and many players are having down years (Lucroy, Napoli, Odor, the entire bullpen, etc..)
With that being said, I agree with your overall point that teams sometimes wait too long to make deals.
For the twins to truely be in contention they a lot of help a top 3 starter, a guy like garcia, a closer and 1 more good pen arm. Thats alot of any team to buy in the middle of the season
Twins were never really a team that was expected to be a serious contender. So there was no reason for them to make some crazy moves to get knocked out early in the playoffs (or miss it completely) since they’re multiple pieces away from championship aspirations. The core of their roster are all young players with relatively low service time (outside of Santana and Mauer really) so it makes more sense to stay where they are and just let their young guys develop.
they have the youngest lineup in baseball that is ranked 15-20th best offensive in the mlb. they will have 30 million coming off the books this offseason plus if they can move santana and dozier that’s another 20+ million this offseason will tell us a lot about the front office and ownership and if they want to do what the cubs and add some impact free agents to go with a core of sano buxton kepler and berrios who are all 24 or younger
Shouldn’t of been that big of a return ,someone like Jake cave should’ve been going .
(Good) jokes aside, I think this is a beneficial trade for the Bombers. Not only do they fill s rotation spot, but now they can have more leverage when talking with the A’s since they’re less dependent on getting Sonny.
The Yanks only gave up 2 minor leaguers who were not being counted on to contribute any time soon. They get an okay pitcher for the rest of the season with the Twins paying most of his remaining salary. If Garcia doesn’t work out, they let walk at the end of the season. Not a bad deal at all.
Finally someone who gets it! They aren’t trading for Garcia because they think he is a top starter. They need SPs. Cessna and Smith are not cutting it. Garcia has pitched in some big games for Stl so the experience is there.
They just bought a broken down rental for two good prospects. The A’s are salivating. Same old Yankee stupidity. Must be the Steinbrenner influence.
Just makes the Yankees a less probable a landing spot. The A’s situation hasn’t changed. They still want the same things. This only affects the Yankee side.
I don’t think this move gives them “leverage” with the A’s. It does potentially give them more innings and a bit of a better rotation. But to think they could pull a “We don’t need Gray from you as bad because we have Jaime Garcia now” in a trade negotiation is funny.
Liking the Garcia trade even more now. Get a near ready rotation arm to add to the Gonsalves/Romero group and a probably ready BP arm in Enns (that’s where I think he ends up). Great trade for the Twins. Need to stock up on guys who will help very soon. So far so good.
Nobody is expecting this to be a big move. Garcia’s an innings eater who’s a reliable back end starter or can also end up a swing man.
That’s not a lot in a sense. Both needed added to the 40 next year. Littrel came from the mariners in the small offseason deal this year
Wait is it possible?? A trade that actually makes sense for both teams?? Yankees get a veteran pitcher who can give them more than 3+ innings every 5 days while moving a couple of pitchers they probably wouldn’t protect for the rule 5 draft. Twins get two pitching prospects that aren’t lights out but could have some potential for a player they didn’t need. That’s blasphemy.
Surprised Jaime’s stock wasnt worth much for Braves or Twins based on current pitching market. Atleast the Braves didnt eat salary.
With few exceptions, rentals tend to get back rental level returns. No surprise here.
So is Big Sexy on the trading block?
The Twins did okay on this deal, but could Dietrich been a starter in the Bronx?
Garcia is not great but he is better then Caleb Smith which was the point here.
Also Enns would be gone at the end of the year anyway. Too many good players on the 40 man roster to keep him.
Littell was advancing quicker than the Yanks expected, but he wasn’t coming up this year, or any other for the Yanks, and he wasn’t going to be on the 40 man, so they got something for him while they could. Littel as part of a package was never going to get Grey anyway. Now the Yanks wait for the A’s to blink on Grey for a package Headlined by Mateo, Cave or Florial, and whoever else the Yanks won’t protect on their 40 Man. But Frazier, Torres, Adams, and Sheffield aren’t going to Oakland for Sonny Gray..
I can’t believe Cashman made this deal. Yanks would be much better off giving up nothing and using Chance Adams as the 5th starter. Pointing out that Garcia is better than Caleb Smith is missing the point. Why give up Littell, who is 21 years old and is 14-1 with 1.87 ERA at Tampa and Trenton for a guy that is mediocre (4.29 ERA this year, 4.69 ERA last year) that is not controllable beyond this season? This goes against everything Cashman has been doing the past few years. I would have preferred just giving Enns a chance at the 5th rotation spot to this! This is a shockingly bad trade. And I don’t care if Garcia ends up pitching well for us down the stretch… it’s still a bad trade because now they also blocked Chance Adams and we don’t get a chance to see what he can do in the rotation this year.
They don’t want to put Adams on the 40-man roster this year. Cashman hinted at that earlier in the year in a round about way. He didn’t specifically mention Adams, it was too early in the season. However, he did allude to having to manage a “good problem to have” with who they would or would not be able to protect from the next Rule 5 draft and not wanting to move players onto that list prematurely because it would essentially mean voluntarily forfeiting another prospect they may value. The Yankees are dealing from a surplus and there are names on their list that teams will ask for in trade and others that won’t be desired (regardless of rankings) by the specific teams with assets desired by Cashman. This may be an overpayment in terms of overall value, but the Yankees are dealing from an abundance of prospects whom cannot all be protected and since when has the league not expected the Yankees to overpay? Especially now with the depth of their system… the Twins are not in the business of making New York better.
If the Yankees had not made this deal then they probably lose Litttell after the season to Rule 5. Right now Chance Adams does not appear to be an option. While he has done very well in the minors this year both Cashman & Girardi have said that he has some control issues to work on before he comes up. I don’t know if Enns would have been a solution this year, but apparently the Yanks didn’t feel that way. It’s nice to have a loaded farm system but it does cause some complications too. Overall the Yanks got a pitcher who can give them innings for 2 pitchers that they weren’t going to use any time soon. Plus Minnesota is paying most of Garcia’s salary.
I don’t see why Yanks couldn’t protect Littell as 1 of the 40, but that is too difficult to figure out. Bottom line is that I liked the philosophy that Cashman has had the past 2 years of building for the future and it was working, even in the present. This trade is a departure from that, which is disappointing to me. I don’t think Garcia is going to win the WS for the Yanks this year and I would have preferred to watch Adams or Enns take that 5th starter role and hold on to our prospects until we use them to trade for a player that is more than a rental (i.e. Sonny Gray). Personally, I don’t think Yanks should trade any prospects for a rental. I thought Cashman was on board with me until this trade.
Chance Adams was never considered to be an option for this year’s rotation though. He’s quickly approaching his innings limit for the year and they’ve said he has to work on fastball command/overall command of his pitches. Next year is a different story though.
Buddy, you need to get your facts right. Chance Adams is approaching innings limit and irrespective of this or any other trade, he still can’t pitch in Majors. If he were to pitch, should have been like couple of months earlier. Same is the case with Montgomery. So, no mater what, Yankees still need 4th and 5th starter. We still need to get Gray or someone else. If we want to protect all top prospects as well as low level prospects, nobody would ever trade with us.. If you dont want to trade yuor 22nd ranked prospect either, then, whom would you trade?
I am willing to trade my #22 prospect, but not interested in any player that is not under control beyond 2017. Rather keep the prospects. My facts are straight. Adams has pitched about 110 IP so far and I think the plan is to let him go to 175. So he has enough innings left to make at least 8 starts for the Yankees. I think he would be as good or better than Garcia, who has been average this year and last year. We don’t need average starters, especially when we have to give up good prospects for them.
I will enjoy watching him give up homers in that right field deck!!!
Many commenters entirely fail to see the big picture here. The Red Sox are folding and folding fast (I think they should be sellers, but that’s for another discussion since they don’t have the “it” to carry them to the playoff’s). The Yankees need arms. CC has been doing his job, giving them quality innings and holding down the roll of a back end starter, but he could go down at any time. Same with Tanaka. Really any pitcher. The Yankees probably have the best team in the AL East at the moment (although the Sox on paper have more talent on the ML roster). In fact, the Yanks pretty much have the best record behind the Astro’s. There is a high probability they go deep into the playoffs and they need arms to get there. This is only a hedge against the what if. Montgomery has done an admirable job, but as many have pointed out, he’s approaching an innings limit for a rookie. It’s just inevitable. In theory, same for Severino, although he has a slightly longer leash on innings this season. I still see the Gray trade happening on top of things. And the arms the Yanks gave up are expendable pieces. Good trade all around and really, why not..Plus it does give the Yanks a pinch more leverage with the A’s today.
They still have:
Kaprilian
Adams
Sheffield
Tate
Acevedo
Abreu
Martinez
Then Green also…
I just don’t think many realize just how absurdly stacked the Yanks farm is, and scarily, their positional prospects are even better. Gah..
There is absolutely no chance the Red Sox sell. The Red Sox have been slumping badly with the bats since the All Star break but they will get hit again they have lost an absurd amount of games by one or two runs lately there pitching is still very good. It will be a dogfight down the stretch if the Yankees land Sonny Gray then they are probably going to be the team to beat out of the east but if they don’t I then would not surprise me if the Red Sox win the division. The Red Sox aren’t going to hit under .200 the Red t of the way like they have since the All star break.
Dude I’m a Yankee fan and you’re crazy to say the Sox are folding. Don’t let this streak go to your head!
I could care less about the Yanks winning streak. The Red Sox just don’t look or feel right and they’re losing to back it up. My comment is more a byproduct of their losing than the Yanks winning. Honestly, I think it comes all back to Farrell who win or lose this season, he’s gone in the offseason. That team badly needs a new manager.
Edit: Based on talent and roster, the Sox should have 10 more wins than they do now. This underperformance is going to continue and based on the down votes above, some still aren’t really to embrace this reality.
One month ago the Red Sox were littered with over .800 ops guys at least 5 if not 6 they have been in a tremendous slump since the Allstar break. If they hit this bad the rest of the way out then you are right they won’t be in the playoffs I just think they will be fine here on out. I do believe they really miss David Ortiz and are searching for an offensive identity but with there pitching I think they will fine. Let’s just see how it all plays out the Yankees are playing really well right now. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of months. If the Yankees land Gray then they have to be the favorites so let’s just see. Remember teams are never as good as they look when they are hot and never as bad when they are cold.
I don’t like the trade, simply because they gave up more to get Garcia than the twins did in their trade with the braves. If they could have just given Littel, then I would be ok, but the extra depth piece makes me want to say no because I know garcia doesn’t change things once the playoff starts and he is a free agent at years end.
Chance Adams isn’t ready- still working on command/control. Cash man playing it smart. Package of prospects that are blocked, provide 40 man roster protection, and/or are evaluated lower internally are the way to go. Let Beane make the value determination. He got a return at last year’s trade deadline that didn’t pan out. His problem, not Cashman’s problem.
This the Yankees trading away guys that would’ve hurt the 40 man roster crunch so they deemed them expendable
It’s rare to see a pitcher with a 4.29 era SO in demand at the trade deadline!
This is a bad trade for the Yanks. Enns is quietly legitimate. I remember back in 2015 when he was Rule V eligible and nobody grabbed him. Love him as a 4/5.
Braves weren’t even involved and still lost this trade, lol. Coppy is stumbling…
Eh, I doubt that.
Garcia,is a streaky pitcher that can give you a quality start – but he always, always falls short in the postseason. (not that the Yankees would use him there).
He’s good for 5-6 innings and for keeping you in the game.
Is that worth a good prospect? Ask the Cardinals – they did not get one good prospect for him but rather 3 AVG ones….