The Yankees announced Monday that they’ve acquired right-handed reliever Clay Holmes from the Pirates in exchange for minor league infielders Diego Castillo and Hoy Jun Park. Catcher Rob Brantly, who’d been on the roster as a Covid-related replacement player, has been returned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to open a roster spot. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported about a minute before the announcement that Holmes was being traded to the Yankees for a pair of minor leaguers (via Twitter).
Holmes, 28, has spent the season in the Pittsburgh bullpen and pitched to a 4.93 ERA, a 23.3 percent strikeout rate, a 13.2 percent walk rate and an enormous 72.8 percent ground-ball rate. To offer a bit more context on that percentage, Holmes has pitched 42 innings this season and surrendered just 16 fly-balls (three of which were pop-ups) and 15 line drives. He’s induced 83 grounders.
Control has been an obvious issue for Holmes, who has always hit four batters and thrown five wild pitches, but he’s only allowed 10 home runs in 119 2/3 career innings (0.75 HR/9). He’s also among the game’s best at limiting premium contact so far in 2021 (86th percentile average exit velocity; 91st percentile barrel rate).
Holmes has yet to reach arbitration but will be arb-eligible for the first time this winter. He’s making scarcely more than the league minimum and can be controlled all the way through the 2024 season if he ultimately sticks in the bullpen. He’ll have to prove his mettle with the Yankees at the Major League level, however, as he’s out of minor league options and cannot be sent down without first being exposed to waivers.
For much of his minor league career, Holmes worked as a starting pitcher. He’s made just four starts in the Majors, however, against 87 bullpen appearances. Because he can’t be sent down, it’s unlikely that the Yankees would try to stretch him out at the MLB level. He’ll head into the bullpen for now, where he can give them some length. Holmes has worked several outings of one-plus or two innings at a time and topped 30 pitches in an appearance on a few occasions.
Ground-ball rate looks to be something the Yankees have zeroed in on in recent years, at least with regard to their bullpen. Zack Britton is one of the most prolific ground-ball pitchers in history, and the current Yankee bullpen sports five more pitchers who’ve tossed at least 10 innings of relief this year with a grounder rate of 50 percent or better: Albert Abreu, Luis Cessa, Jonathan Loaisiga, Mike King and Wandy Peralta. At a time when the league is working to curb the use of foreign substances that increase the spin rate on four-seam fastballs and sliders, it’s perhaps not coincidental that the Yankees are seeking out another extreme ground-ball pitcher who relies on a low-spin sinker.
Yankees fans may be surprised to see Park included in this deal after he’s posted a .327/.475/.567 slash with 10 homers, nine doubles, a triple and eight stolen bases in 223 Triple-A plate appearances so far. The 25-year-old was recently called to the big league roster for the first time but only got one appearance before being sent back out.
Notably, however, the Yankees outrighted Park to Triple-A, however, indicating that he went unclaimed on outright waivers at the time of the move. The Pirates (or another club) could’ve had Park for free at that point, were they willing to dedicate a 40-man roster spot to him. The 29 other clubs passed. The Bucs will now pick up his rights (without having to dedicate a 40-man spot) and hope he can continue to build on that breakout showing he’s enjoyed so far in Triple-A this year. FanGraphs’ Eric Lonenhagen ranked Park 31st among Yankees farmhands prior to this deal, noting that his ability to play a viable shortstop an control the strike zone make him a “high-probability utility infield piece.”
Castillo, 23, had a history as a light-hitting middle infielder with premium contact rates before his production exploded in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting this year. He’s hitting .277/.345/.504 (127 wRC+) with 11 home runs, 18 doubles and eight steals in 249 plate appearances on the year. Castillo has walked at a career-best 8.4 percent against a 13.4 percent strikeout rate. He’s another shortstop-capable infield prospect to add to the middle levels of the Pirates’ system — one whom Longenhagen ranked 21st in the Yankees’ system at the time of the swap.
Cashman should be fired just because of this trade.
You should fire the GM for making trades that improve your MLB roster?
Weird take.
He just traded for a walk machine. I guess he said a walk better then a Double, so for you it’s an improvement
Every team can find someone they think they can approve.
I don’t mind Yankees buying. Underachieving they are still in the wild card hunt at least. Taillon German look better. Get some other guys back. Make few low key trades.
Can always sell players such as Chapman and buy lesser players. I don’t think the market for them is enough to justify selling though.
The Ray’s are gonna light this guy up in Tampa tomorrow.
@Albert Belle’s corked bat- you’re so sure Clay Holmes is actually going to pitch tomorrow? Smh. It must be all the championship rings those Rays have? Lol
he was trash in Pittsburgh, what makes you think hes going to do any better in NY lol
Eh for some reason guys magically get good once they get to NY. Such as Maybin, Tauchman, I’m sure Greg Allen eventually.
it’s the kind of move a tax threshold laden team just above .500 makes. Most likely you roll craps but staying out was an even worse option This cost peanuts so there’s little if any risk.
More specifically, players get good when they leave Pittsburgh.
Yeah, just look at Josh Bell.
Holmes is like the relief version of Charlie Morton when the latter was with Pittsburgh. Amazing “stuff”, lack of results. He has the potential to be really good if some coach can finally make things click.
Gio Urshela was mediocre in Cleveland and then decided he was an above average ball player for the damn Yankees
It’s not that they suddenly get good. It’s that they have media coverage and one good streak gets blown up epically
Kris Benson
No pitcher gets better in NY. They all get worse, then better after they leave.
To keep expecting a big name, with a big contract, when the Yankees have written in sky that they are not exceeding the tax threshold, is just silly. Much like the Yankees making a deal that would keep them in the penalty after letting the holes go unaddressed for this long would be silly. The time to decide to exceed the tax was long ago.
Who on EARTH gets better as a Yankee? It seems like whoever they get automatically become half the player they once were and instantly become afraid to death of the Boston Red Sox.
Luke Voit
DJ L
Gio Urshela
Adam Ottavino for a year
Aaron Hicks
For one season the outfielder now with the giants whose name just left me.
Tauchman
Thanks. I’m old. Lol
The Yankees should have grabbed Morton in the offseason.
@oneibind- no thanks, nobody wants the Rays leftover garbage.
Carl Pavano agrees with this statement.
@njbirdsfan
Randy, Carl, A.J., Sonny, Kendrys and Giancarlo say hello.
“It’s not that they suddenly get good. It’s that they have media coverage and one good streak gets blown up epically.”
Yeah, it was the media that boosted Urshela’s OPS 281 points in his first season in New York. Those damned reporters!
I’m still convinced that the Yankees should sell. Sell Chapman and Britton for no other reason than to clear payroll, not expecting much at all back if you eat their salaries.
chapman to Padres for Abrams and Hosmer
LOL. Padres are not dealing Abrams even if they can get Hosmer off their roster.
Yankee fans make baseball miserable.
A career negative WAR guy with a 5.6 career ERA and who walks 6 per 9 innings is really improving our roster. Park raked at SWB and was not given a chance.
If Clay Holmes is an improvement then the Yankees have fallen off hard.
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Tired of Yankee fans blaming the front office. If the Yankees don’t win, it’s the team itself that is losing games. Simple as that
LOL, well, rumor has it the front office puts together the team.
SMH
The front office tends to pick up injury prone players that’s why the Yankees suck right now.
Not a yankees fan but agree, Cashman has always gotten them players, they may have not all worked out but they always had the talent and team to win or compete and play.So yes management and office is to blame very little as it’s the players performance on the field that counts on the long run.
Cashman should be fired for 12 years and not going to a World Series. Especially with that payroll. Only Yankee fans thinks he is a good GM which he isn’t.
Which Yankee fan would that be?
@yanks02026-my thoughts exactly. IMMEDIATELY!
He should have been fired many years ago.
This is the move to save the season?
Yup the deadline has passed
dang, way to get something for nothing Cherington.
Agree. These prospects probably aren’t ranked guys but they are trying really hard to break in. I see paths to the show. One of these guys would be great but 2? A plus for the buccos.
We are saved! Give us the ring NOW!
Why? Yankees have no playoff shot. What a waste.
Yankees now AL favorite
Rays and Sox shaking in their boots now
Cashman went from dumpster diver to dumpster fire
Naw I think he found this guy under the dumpster.
Pirates are overrated.
This comment is underrated.
This seems like a very confusing trade. Park seems like a legit future stud. He changed his swing to almost the exact same as Ohtani’s and he’s tearing up AAA. Not someone I would want to give up for a depth bullpen piece with control issues
I’m really confused about this deal as well. Holmes doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade in the bullpen, and Park has certainly looked the part in the minors this season.
He’s a borderline MLB pen arm making minimal money.
Park went unclaimed on waivers last week. Not saying the guy stinks or anything, but I don’t think the industry views him in the same way as those who are just looking at his Triple-A stat line.
The Pirates will be pleased if he’s a utility infielder for them.
Park was called up for covid relief and added the Major League active list temporarily, this year I believe those players do not need to be placed on waivers, outrighted, or optioned to be removed from the 40 man roster when the players return from the Covid injured list.
The Yankees announced that they outrighted Park to Triple-A.
By contrast, today they announced that Rob Brantly was a Covid replacement player who was returned to Triple-A and removed from the 40-man roster.
Every time a team has “returned” a Covid replacement player this season, the announcement has explicitly stated that he was a Covid replacement player. The announcement on Park did not specify that, and you cannot “assign a player outright” to Triple-A before he first clears outright waivers.
Like Yankees5424 said he did not have to clear waivers. Maybe I’m looking into the stat line a little too much like you said admittedly, but also along with Park they gave up Diego Castillo who’s a good prospect doing well at AA.
Never mind sorry didn’t realize that. It just never explicitly said he was DFAd so I didn’t know he had to clear waivers. My bad
Both players only have a year left to stick on the ML roster or they walk as minor league free agents, and the team gets nothing. This was the case of cashing in two depreciating assets while they still has some value.
Terrible trade for yanks. Park AND Castillo?
trash collector cashman
Impressive haul for a mediocre pitcher.
Mediocre? You are incredibly kind. Holmes is one of the worst relievers in baseball
I think there were a few guys this year with an inf for an era.
From a lifelong Pirates fan….a few opinions about Holmes. When he comes in, you’ll know within a few pitches whether he’s the good Holmes or the bad Holmes. If he was the good Holmes more often, he would’ve never been dealt as his pure stuff is filthy. Good luck Yanks on getting more of the good Holmes.
Always- Good take on Holmes.He was either very good or very bad.Probably 2/3-3/4 of the time he was good.The problem that I had other than his control was that he was not good under pressure.
BC seems to be collecting middle infielders as if he did not have enough already.This could be a problem at Rule 5 time.
So he will fit in Yankee bullpen
Actually, you know……you are absolutely correct. He’ll fit right in.
Castillo was RAKING in AA this year. This seems like a one sided trade, where Pittsburgh made out in the equation. Hopefully there is something in Clay that I just cannot see.
Pirates are certainly stockpiling middle infielders.
Groundscrew?
Clay has back rotation stuff. If the Yankees have someone to help his control look out. One week you will be saying why not use him in higher leverage. The next you will be calling for dfa. If pirates released him today majority of fans would cheer the move.
This is very clearly an analytics trade. No control but can limit hard contact. Obviously nobody is going to hit pitches out of the strike zone hard lol
78.2 GB%.
That’ll play. He’s being added to the bridge from starter to endgame. It looks like he will step into O’day’s spot as a RH ground ball generating middle reliever.
Looking for @mlb1225 to see if he needs to be protected from lefties.
I posted on the Marte thread that I could see a consolidation trade by the Yanks for a RH reliever with team control beyond 2021.
Here it is & I like the move.
Address CF & add 60 or so competent starting pitcher innings & the Yanks will stay in the hunt.
Holmes simpily just has no control. He gets away with some of it because of how much break, but he doesn’t get away with most of it.
We are not in the hunt because we don’t score runs. We have our strikeout and GIDP king hit second and we lead the league in outs on the bases.
Basic Yankee trade article gets nearly 300 comments? Look, this isn’t going to save the season and Cashman is financially limited. We aren’t going to make the splash everyone is hoping for and reel in Story, Berrios, or some other big name. The Yankees are synonymous with TTOs and have constructed their roster in exactly that way. I foresee a very short leash after this season and, quite possibly, a new GM if the Yankees finish out of the hunt.
Ducky, I hope you and your family are well, my friend. Keep blazing the trail with your insight… I enjoy your perspective.
Good to see you on the board, Clip.
Man, more blessed than I deserve. This time of year, “blessed” is 80 hour workweeks.
Best to you & yours. Been getting to any games with your boy?
Hat tip on pointing out how the deadened ball was going to be such a problem for us. This offense is struggling simply because we are not hitting enough baseballs out of the park.
So.
Sell or add in hopes of securing the WC2? I think @Riddler & I are the only Yankee fellas on the board opposed to punting on ’21.
What do you think?
Did the pirates get anyone good?
Park was solid then kind of broke through for power this season, sad to see him go.
Park was leading triple a in hitting if that means anything to you. The other guy was doing well in double A
Trading Park will send a shock wave through Yankees Twitter. I don’t know if they’ll be able to recover from this one
His pic on the link above looks like he crapped himself mid picture
Lol…it does!
“who has always hit four batters and thrown five wild pitches,”. Is that per appearance? Is he close friends w/Brooks Kriske? Ahahahahaha!
I’m guessing that sentence in the article was supposed to say “already” instead of “always,” but it would be awesome if every time he pitched, he made sure to hit batters and throw wild pitches.
His control issues could be actually just this
I’m a little surprised that Cherrington was able to get that much for Holmes. Every time I’ve watched Holmes, he has struggled with control. The Pirates got 2 lotto ticket types for that, I’m happy with the return.
Especially when you consider the Cubs only got 2 more of these “lottery” types you speak of for Yu Darvish!
Cubs got the $5 and $10 tickets with better odds though.
Uhh… you obviously haven’t been tracking the progress of those teenagers the Dad’s sent. Not looking so lopsided now.
That’s actually so whack. 16 fly balls in 42 innings. Absurdly cool
Negative WAR; not so cool.
Pirates made out like… Bandits? Pillagers? Pilferers?
I can understand the interest in Holmes based on the Statcast data, but I’d still say the Pirates did well here on paper.
Stupid is as stupid does
Lol typical yankees trade Park us going to end up being an allstar with pirates
Yes, Park will be an All-Star for one season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, at which point he will be traded back to the Yankees.
Possible, since every team is guaranteed one rep.
Don’t get this. I know we may have lost both in rule 5 but why not give Park a shot? Left handed bat, speed, defense, started hitting for power. Had his breakout season in AAA. Did I say he is a left handed bat? There must be a reason. They must think once exposed to major league pitching he won’t last? Otherwise even if he’s a super utility back up this makes no sense!!!!!
Well it appears the two prospects that NYY traded were blocked by Peraza and Volpe. Even with that, you’d think that Cashman would aim a little higher than Clay Holmes. Maybe they feel that the NYY pitching coach can fix him and that he’ll be more consistent there.
This is their sixth season playing in the system (it would have been seventh but 2020 was canceled). Their window to stick on the major league roster is closing before they walk as minor league FAs. If the Yankees weren’t planning on adding them to the 40 man, this was really the last chance to wring some value out of them before they walk.
Reports came out a couple weeks back that the Yankees analytics department are not a fan of Park and don’t believe his AAA success will translate to the big leagues. They would have likely lost him to the rule 5 draft this winter so I guess they decided to get something for him now
Clay Holmes isn’t “something”. better to get nothing.
That ground ball rate of 73% will go down in the AL East.
Here’s the thing… GB% isn’t generally adjusted by park-factors, and that’s why the AL East is seen as a power-hitter haven.
Every park except for the warehouse, I mean the Trop. Definitely a pitchers park.
Holmes was one of the main speakers at Pirates Faith night in 2019 w Trevor Williams, Josh Bell and Stallings. Unquestioned team leader…and yes super heavy Fastball
Took me a minute to kind of get it…Holmes is an elite GB guy, which plays at Yankee stadium, and is useful in certain situations, and the 2 infielders, while they seem like more than useful pieces, are likely rule 5 eligible after the season. That being said, I could see this being a bit surprising on the surface
Going to go out on a limb and say a year from now, this trade will have had no impact on either team. You just can’t have the bad control Holmes has and be successful long-term.
Both players are Rule V eligible this offseason and neither were likely to be protected. Their current numbers at AAA and AA look great, but prior to this season (at least with Park), they weren’t good. Maybe Park has figured it out, or maybe he’s playing above his abilities. We’ll know which in a couple of years I guess.
It’s not the type of deal that gets anyone excited but the Yanks see controllable pen arm with K potential and an extreme GB ability whose metrics point to a good reliever, even if his surface numbers don’t. With the cost of FA relievers becoming excessive in recent years, cost efficiency in the pen is a way for teams like the Yankees to pay other positions and stay under the Tax.
Park has an advanced approach, even before this season when he started to show power.
Just like the Fraizer trade with 3 Rule V eligible guys. There are currently 23 Rule V eligible guys in the Pirates org you would probably want to protect.
Right. Clay Holmes has been a serviceable, contributing long relief, multi inning RP on a MLB roster for 4 seasons. And was the Pirates 17th ranked prospect in 2018 and their 21st in ‘17.
I would bet on Holmes continuing to be a serviceable, contributing part of the Yankees roster before I bet on Park or Castillo becoming a serviceable, contributing part of the Pirates roster.
And that’s Holmes at worst case, his floor. Pirates hope Park and Castillo ceiling is Holmes floor. At best Park/Castillo, both 25 years old, contribute to the Pirates for 4 seasons.
Holmes is a career and 2021 negative War player with a career 5.6 ERA and walks 6 per 9. I call that neither serviceable nor contributing.
Might find out this weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised at to see Park in the Pirates starting lineup.
Worse than just being rule V eligible, they are minor league free agents the following year.
Wow, if Holmes can net this return I’m pretty excited for what RichRod could get.
What the hell? Way too much for holmes
I know. The housing market is nuts right now.
Hopefully he’s just picking up arms to trade away other relievers, should be in sell mode
Maybe we should’ve offered up Rodriguez. Coud’ve gotten back Schmidt or Garcia if this is the kind of stuff they were willing to give up for Clay Holmes.
Sssshhh!!!! That is the trade that is still in the works. Ben is still trying to decide between Schmidt or Garcia. 🙂
@mlb1225
Would appreciate your take here. His GB% is pretty unreal. Keeping the ball out of the air is huge in YSIII.
I really like this trade for the Yanks. It seems this is an uncommon take amongst the other Yankee posters on the board.
Holmes gets a ton of ground balls and has outstanding stuff. But that’s about it. He has no control. Sinker is an 80-grade pitch, but he has 20-grade command on all his offerings. I thought that once he dropped his fastball, the pitch he had the most trouble with control with, some of those issues would be remiedied, but it doesn’t seem like it did.
So he’s Adam Ottavino …but without a history of success.
Thank you. & for above.
Man. 70+ GB% & 23+ K% had me thinking Cash pulled off a real coup.
Your take is sobering.
If he had half the control Ottavino does, he’d be just as good at Otto.
D’yathink….
Just what the Yankees needed a reliever with control problems. Giving up Park and Castillo ridiculous!!!!
Damn. Nice move by the Pirates.
Wtf was Cashman thinking?
Probably could have got a better reliever for one prospect who wasn’t as good as either of these guys.
Head scratcher
It’s like a fellow I once knew in El Paso. One day, he just took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him that same question.
Scratched a lot more than his head.
I’m going to request a more detailed story
As a pirates fan I’ll happily take 2 prospects, one in park who would easily outperform gleyber Torres with enough at bats for a guy who walks or hits a guy or two every inning♂️
Bold
I want to say something sarcastic or make fun in general about this trade, but Cashman did it on his own. Bad trade.
lol
Ehh. Just a meh trade that looks more “blockbuster” just because how many people are involved
So Park was DFA’d 5 days ago so the Yanks could make room for the historic Asher Wojo-whatever. Then they dumped Wojo. Doesn’t seem there’s much there with either him or Castillo.
OTOH, 2 shots in the dark are better than Holmes, who never saw the light.
He was on the taxi squad and then outrighted via COVID replacement-player rules, not DFA’d
This is baseball fundamentals 101 – if you have a below average defensive infield the obvious choice is to get a groundball heavy RP with control issues
^^^^^ this is my favorite post ever maybe
yep. *chef’s kiss over a gas-station cheese burger*
And his control problems will play beautifully with Sanchez’s inability to block a pitch in the dirt … Or in the air.
We have to hope he gets ground balls to 3B. Urshela is very solid. Torres not so mcuh.
WHY DID YOU TRADE PARK JESUS I AM DONE WITH CASHMAN
You were ok with the dfa but not ok with actually receiving something?
Lol. Most of us Yankee fans remember it differently. Maybe we are confused but like others I thought he didn’t have to clear waivers. Maybe I’m wrong.
Both Yankee prospects are minor league free agents (not just Rule 5 eligible). They’ve been passed over countless times in the Rule 5 and have been nothing but organizational filler the last few years.
I keep saying that. Most people don’t seem to get that long-time minor leaguers lose their value due to roster rules. Cashman has always been diligent about getting some value out of guys who were soon to be worthless due to roster rules.
That’s how I feel about this trade. It’s a meh trade that happened tp take place close to the trade deadline so people are expectiing this to be substantive.
All these ground ball pitchers with one of the worst defensive infields… Makes sense
Then they talk he has only given up a few flyballs, but if they were hit in yankee stadium they probally would have been Hr in that bandbox lol.
You would have to expect a trade of this nature to better benefit the Pirates. They are positioned to get more for less just as so many other teams right now. If the Yankees get any help from Holmes and they reach the playoffs and succeed no one will remember this trade. Hopefully a good move for Pirate fans.
As a pirate fan if you told me we received 2 of anything for this guy I would be happy. Pirates have failed to make him great, bring in another guy and see what they can do with him.
I am just glad the two guys weren’t Andujar and Frazier.
I’m sure Andujar and Frazier were offered, but Pitts is looking for talent.
Andujar and Frazier seemingly were desired by the Pirates’ previous G M,but Cashman turned his proposed trade down.
In 2018 for Gerrit Cole.
SF is loving Estrada another AAA infielder Yanks gave up on.
I really liked Estrada and was upset to see him go. but im happy for him that he is seeing much more playing time now in SF.
Ronald Torreyes having a really nice year for the Phillies, too
torreyes is a great dude. the 2017 yankees had so much fun when he was there and would get a big hit. one time judge picked him up onto his shoulder like he was a little child. baseball wise, he was a solid up the middle base hitter and had consistent PH hits. I’m also glad Girardi brought him on board.
Pretty soon the Pirates need to make a 7 for 1 trade with all the Rule 5 eligible prospects they have acquired. But hey, if that’s how they get a quality rotation piece or RF, why not?
Or be like the Pirates in 2003 when Littlefield did the same thing. The 1st 5 picks in the rule 5 draft in 03 were all Pirates. We were the laughing stock of MLB. You can’t just keep acquiring mid-level, internal signees for that reason; The rule 5 draft prevents it.
BC knows that if he stockpiles 32 of them he can get Mike Trout for them.
This feels like is a precursor to something else, either an injury reveal or another trade w/ the pirates that would be a bit more balanced… Cashman wouldn’t give up that much prospect capital simply because of his GB% unless they see something they can unlock right away or there’s something else going on behind the scenes.
It’s a precursor to better prospects at lower levels getting promotions.
That’s a definite possibility. It just seems like they could have done better than this guy for those two guys. Could have just gotten cash for them from other teams. Cashman is probably thinking something else, or just that the Pirates are terrible at developing pitchers.
@ Doug bond
Every team knows the Yanks are against the cap, so they can ask for extra when ever a player has a contract NYY can afford.
Don’t underestimate how much Cashman can give up.
Cashman gave up very little prospect capital, since both these guys are close to being able to walk as minor league free agents.
Cashman isn’t used to trading for prospects and not using them as trade bait. Really if they were patient they could of seen what they could of gotten from Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington, Angels, Cubs, and Seattle. All teams on the fringes and need a winning streak to stay in the hunt. It seems to me they gave up 2 strong prospects for a mediocre piece. The bullpen is not the problem in New York, pitching in general has kept them on the fringes. They need offense so I’m confused here…Park can compete for a roster spot.
Calling Holmes mediocre is way too generous.
Next conversation between cash man/cherrington
Cashman “that closer looks good what do you want for him”
Cherrington “uh that judge guy looks good”
Cashman “that’s it?”
Cherrington “…um..sure if you pick up his pay for us…”
Cashman “DEAL!”
Better Holmes and Gardner.
The Yankees needed to clear out some of these upper level middle infielders to make room for the guys in lower levels who are simply better prospects.
My only problem is that they were upper level prospects & they weren’t really mlb prospects.
Come on. Acting like Park and Castillo are HOFers. Both are 25 years old and neither significant time above AAA.
Clay Holmes has been a multi inning long RP for 4 years in MLB. Clay Holmes was also the Pirates 17th ranked prospect in 2018 and their 21st ranked in 2017.
I would bet on Clay Holmes continuing being a serviceable, contributing RP on the Yankees roster before I bet that Park or Castillo become a contributing part of the Pirates roster.
As much as I’ve been a supporter of Holmes these last 2-3 seasons, he is what he is at this point. Yeah, he was a top 20 Pirate prospect in 2017 and 2018, but that was 3-4 years ago. I’ll be the first to admit, the guy has the stuff, but absolutley zero control of it. He’s not young and he’s not found his footing yet at 28-years-old. Plenty of late bloomers in the MLB, but I’m taking Castillo+Park everyday and twice on Sunday over Holmes at this point in their careers.
Mlb1225: Your insight is particularly valuable given your penchant for analytics and familiarity with the Pirates’ organization. Is it possible that the Yankees pitching staff/analytics department sees I him something they believe they can “fix”?
Matt Blake has done an outstanding job with their pitching staff this year, after all, and they’d be much farther ahead in their division of their offense showed up for support, even at an average RPG, comparatively. Your thoughts?
Castillo is 23. And although they love their baseball, a 19 year old Korean usually isn’t as baseball advanced as other prospects.
Holmes has never been serviceable nor contributing. What part of negative WAR don’t you believe?
Can’t wait to see these Pirates play for the ring in 2030. The future is….well….then
Could be a signal that they’re getting ready to trade for a strong defensive MI that rhymes with “no glory.”
Park left some big shoes to fill in Scranton with that 1000 something ops.
The only way this could’ve been better for Pittsburgh is that they would’ve forced the Yankees to take Kai Tom. Oh well
Crap in, crap out. Let’s get rid of Boone!
You guys need a copy editor/fact-checker. Park wasn’t outrighted in the traditional sense and didn’t have to clear waivers, as he was a COVID replacement. To write an entire paragraph on his trade value based on the flawed observation that he was outrighted is just silly.
MLB’s rule on Covid replacement players:
“We have also agreed to allow any Clubs that experience a COVID-19 outbreak among their players to add to the Major League Active List temporarily, without the need for those players to be placed on waivers, outrighted, or optioned in order to be removed from the 40-man roster when players return from the COVID-19 Related Injured List.”
The Yankees announced that Park was outrighted, i.e. assigned outright to a minor league affiliate. You cannot be “outrighted” without first clearing outright waivers.
By contrast, when the Yankees returned Rob Brantly today, their announcement clearly specified “returned replacement player C Rob Brantly to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.”
Every time a player has been returned by a team to Triple-A as a Covid replacement player this year, it’s been clearly specified that he was a replacement player being returned.
The Yankees didn’t make that announcement. Park’s transaction log at MLB.com still says he was “outrighted,” which the above-listed rule clearly says is not a necessary step for a Covid replacement player.
Park did not go through waivers, though. Those 29 teams did not have an opportunity to acquire him via waivers, so why write that they did? It heavily seems he was taken off the 40-man roster via taxi-squad COVID rules and the Yankees PR considered it an outright because the situation is so unique.
The Yankees every year trade guys like this at the deadline. These are the players that they know they are not putting on the 40-man roster and can lose for nothing in the Rule 5 draft. Sometimes they trade them for lower level minor leaguers that won’t need to be protected yet, sometimes for a player like this that maybe they think they can improve. This makes sense.
“lose for nothing” or Clay Holmes? Same thing.
Maybe. They weren’t going to get a player with a good track record for those guys. So you take a chance on a guy you think you can improve. Hope for the best.
The analytics obviously say there’s something Holmes could tap into (and I’m an analytics guy so I’m not discrediting the idea), but when I saw that the Yankees acquired him I assumed that the Pirates DFAed him and traded him for cash. Holmes is worth taking a shot on, but more so on waivers or on a minor league deal. It doesn’t help that he’s out of options and the Yankees have pretty much no margin for error the rest of the year.
To get a likely future utility guy and another guy who *could* be on the verge of an upper minors breakout is a really impressive return for the Pirates.
Imo, there’s about 100 Clay Holmes’s out there. He’s one of those guys you look at and say “he has lights out stuff” but has no idea where it’s going. I love Holmes and I’m an analytics guy too, but it doesn’t take analytics to know he has no command. I know the eye test isn’t accurate, but he almost never hits his spot.
As a Pirate fan I’m thrilled that anyone was willing to trade any prospect for Holmes, let alone two. He makes you think that he should be consistently effective but too often he cannot or will not throw the ball over the plate. If he succeeds in New York, well good for him, I’m not losing sleep over it because the Pirates gave him all kinds of chances for a more substantial bullpen role.
Another hard consonant roster move
Gone – Park, Castillo
Acquired – Holmes
The Yankees roster is now much softer. Much easier on the palette.
Easier to paint?
Perhaps easier on the palate too.
I guess with Brantly being sent down to SWB, Sanchez will handle the staff until Hishagawa comes back later this week. Was hoping he would show better, but he always could play 1B in a pinch LOL
The people saying Clay Holmes was awful as a Pirate are right, but…so was Glasnow.
This is rolling the dice with the same hand you are scratching a lotto ticket with, with fingers crossed.
You’re not wrong, but I don’t think that Holmes has ever been as highly regarded as a prospect as Glasnow was, and few have ever expected Holmes to be much more than he currently is. Frankly if Holmes suddenly becomes an All-Star, I’ll be absolutely floored, but I also won’t be upset at all. Maybe Holmes needs a new voice in his ear, maybe the Pirates need new pitching coaches, but Holmes has had plenty of opportunities and not done enough with them.
Glasnow was a broken yet highly regarded prospect who always had good stuff. Holmes is far from that. The Archer trade was terrible but I don’t think this has a chance to be anything remotely close to that
Glasnow wasn’t 28 when they let him go.
Man the Pirates sure have had a nice history of trading with the Yankees: AJ Burnett for basically nothing, Francisco Cervelli for 1 year of Justin Wilson, the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte trade.
It’s going to be quite the story if Park becomes a star after only getting one at bat with NYY. It’s hard to find any player that only had one at bat with a team.
Taillion trade as well, though we’re obviously years away from grading that one.
Don’t know why they keep dealing with Pittsburgh after they screwed the Yankees after trying to get Cole originally. Cost the Yankees a WS.
What did NY offer them that was so good?
I don’t recall the offer but I think the pirates asked for Andujar and we all got butt hurt. In hindsight … Lol
Don’t be too hard on the Notorious M I G. He’s shown what he’s capable of doing with his bat and he has developed in LF. I don’t count Miggy out just yet, although I don’t ascribe consistent all-star caliber play to him either. He got a lot to prove but has a ceiling higher than many others that we put out there…
Don’t remember the offer either but it was very clear the return they got was far smaller from houston.
Good deal for the pirates for sure. pretty sure this frees up a 40 man slot too. someone suggested a while back that it was a concern.. this should help ease that some 🙂
Odd to pick up brantly though. sign of a catching move or just depth?
possibly a couple useful mlb tools in the nearish future.
Huh? Brantly was returned to SWB.
Yes he was. My point was that the Pirates have Stallings and Perez both with long term cost controlled contracts..
It has been suggested that Stallings maybe available at the right price. Having Brantly who has MLB experience could make a move easier. Other wise he is just depth.
These comments seem to all miss the fact that both players the Yankees traded need to be added to the 40 man roster this off-season or they can eject minor league free agency. No team was willing to add Park to their roster, and I don’t see the Yankees having space (for either, they have a pending logjam with players needing roster spots)
Mr. Holmes looks like he’s going to need a haircut and a shave.
Classic Cashman and his Analytic nerds thinking they’re smarter than EVERYONE ELSE. Trading 2 young controllable middle infielders both having good seasons in minors for a career 5.57 era middle reliever with control problems.
typical Cashman, win the trade but doesn’t at all help the team
Insignificant moves like this that cost no money are all you can expect from the yankees before the trade deadline.
Clay Holmes will help NY quest for title happen. nothing like getting a close to 5.00 era reliever after all-star break
Huh? Brantly was returned to SWB.
He just traded two shortstops who could be better then Torres
Park would of been a upgrade over Wade. Yankees desperately need more left hand hitters and they just give one away.
@mlbnyyfan- definitely agree with you 100% bro. I definitely think Park would have been an upgrade over Wade for sure. Everybody knows Wade can’t hit. He’s all glove. Time to start blaming Ca$hman now.
40-man logjam is imminent so i expected fringe prospect trades, but not a fan of this one. we are doomed to an eternity of tyler wade
Boone likes him for some reason. He also likes to bat his high SO and GIDP guys second, where they can consistently fail to move runners.
I think the upset Yankees fans are missing the point…… the Yankees want to re-assemble the entire 2010 and 2011 Pirates pitching draft picks. They have Cole and Taillon. Needed Clay Holmes. Next up…. sign Nick Kingham out of the Korean league.
“Control has been an obvious issue for Holmes, who has always hit four batters and thrown five wild pitches”
Always? He does this in every outing?
This trade is worse than I thought.
The writer needs to edit, Park was not DFA’d he was just outrighted to the minors, hence why he wasn’t claimed, his contract status didn’t make it an option for him to be claimed.
Ground ball pitcher with serious command issues. Team with bad ground ball defense and a passed ball wizard at catcher trades for him. Good thinking.