Yankees acquire starting pitcher J.A. Happ in trade with Blue Jays

Mark Townsend

The New York Yankees stayed busy Thursday, reportedly acquiring veteran starting pitcher J.A. Happ from the Toronto Blue Jays. In return, the Blue Jays are getting infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney, the clubs announced.

The two teams had been engaged in trade talks for parts of two days, as they seemed like a good match. The Yankees were chasing starting pitching and Happ was one of the more cost-effective options on the trade market. Happ doesn’t cost as much as, say, Chris Archer, but is rather the traditional trade-deadline rental that should add much-needed depth to the Yankees’ rotation.

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The deal was first confirmed as done by Jon Morosi of MLB Network and Fox Sports and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The clubs announced it as official Thursday afternoon.

Veteran pitcher J.A. Happ was traded to the ..... on ..... (AP)
Veteran pitcher J.A. Happ was traded to the Yankees on Thursday. (AP)

What have the Yankees done at the trade deadline so far?

It’s the second deal completed by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman in less than 48 hours. On Tuesday, he pulled off another big deal with a division rival, adding closer Zach Britton for a package of prospects from the Baltimore Orioles. Acquiring Happ was an immediate response to the Boston Red Sox trading for Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday.

What does J.A. Happ bring to the Yankees?

Being traded at the deadline is nothing new for Happ. It’s the fourth time it’s happened during his 12-year career. Most recently, he was traded from Seattle to Pittsburgh in 2015. In 11 starts down the stretch for the Pirates, he posted a 1.85 ERA. He’s been through it before, and he’s succeeded under that spotlight, which should make his transition to the Yankees seamless.

Happ is putting together a solid 2018 campaign. Through 20 starts, he’s 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 130 strikeouts over 114 innings. He’s in the final year of a three-year, $36 million deal.

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