Yankees acquire Cubs reliever ahead of MLB trade deadline
PHILADELPHIA – In moves to address bullpen needs, the Yankees swung separate trades for Mark Leiter Jr. and fellow right-hander Enyel De Los Santos before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. deadline.
But with big names moving elsewhere, a disappointed fan base was left wondering “is that all there is?”
The Yankees sent minor league prospects Jack Neely and Ben Cowles to the Chicago Cubs for the veteran reliever Leiter Jr., and moved minor league outfielder Brandon Lockridge to the San Diego Padres for De Los Santos and minor league right-hander Thomas Balboni Jr.
After swinging Saturday’s deal for the energetic infielder-outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., the Yankees’ trade deadline haul lacked the kind of impact arm that Yankees Universe anticipated adding down the stretch.
In particular, the Yankees had a need for a lefty reliever, with ex-White Sox setup man Tim Hill now the lone lefty after the underperforming Caleb Ferguson was flipped to the Houston Astros on Tuesday for a minor league pitcher and international bonus pool money.
Yankees’ less-than-sizzling trade deadline haul
Before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, the Yanks saw prized lefty closer Tanner Scott move to the Padres, from the Marlins.
On a lesser scale, veteran Andrew Chafin went to the Rangers from the Tigers, and Tanner Banks moved to the Phillies from the White Sox.
Unwilling to pay the high price tag for the controllable Lucas Erceg, the Yanks saw the right-hander swapped to the Royals from the Athletics.
The equally impactful Michael Kopech went to the Dodgers from the White Sox, and starter Jack Flaherty – also the subject of Yankees’ interest – went to the Dodgers from the Tigers.
Mark Leiter Jr. “will fit right in” with the Yankees
The son of Mark Leiter (who made his MLB debut with the 1990 Yankees) and nephew of Mets and Yankees lefty Al Leiter, the right-handed Mark Leiter Jr. is under team control through the 2026 season.
With the Cubs this year, Leiter Jr., 33, posted a 4.21 ERA in 39 games, with 53 strikeouts and 13 walks in 36.1 innings.
Prior to their game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, the Yanks optioned reliever Yoendrys Gomez to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Leiter Jr. posted an ERA-plus of 126 last year, as opposed to 99 this season (a hair below league average), but he’s limited right-handed hitters to a .188 batting average and .528 OPS; against lefty hitters, it’s .200/.532.
“He’s got a lot of swing and miss,” Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said of Leiter Jr., featuring a signature splitter. “That’s something, obviously, we’ve been looking for a little bit.”
Once the trade went through, Blake said he heard from ex-Yankee and current Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon, who said of Leiter Jr., “you’ll love this guy, he’s a dawg. He’ll fit right in.”
Blake foresees the Yankees employing Leiter Jr. anywhere from the sixth to the ninth inning, depending on who is available, and in high-leverage spots “not dissimilar” to the usage of Tommy Kahnle and Luke Weaver, though not with Weaver’s length.
In De Los Santos, 28, the Yankees get another experienced big-league reliever, but one with a 4.46 ERA in 44 games this year with San Diego and 11 homers allowed in just 40.1 innings.
De Los Santos has 48 strikeouts vs. 13 walks this year, and lefty hitters have tagged him for a 1.012 OPS (.777 vs. righty hitters).
Yankees gave up “a big arm” in Jack Neely
Neely, 24, was a potential consideration for a late-season call-up by the Yankees, having recently been promoted to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, posting a 3.38 ERA in nine relief appearances.
“He was right on the doorstep and obviously you’ve got to give something to get something,” said Blake. “(You’re trading) a little bit of control (of a young pitcher) for current success in the major leagues.”
One MLB scout likes Neely’s potential as a late-inning reliever close to the majors. “Cubs got a good arm.”
At Class AA Somerset this season, Neely posted a 2.61 ERA with 51 strikeouts vs. 12 walks in 31 innings, covering 22 relief appearances.
The 6-foot-8, 245-pound Neely was ranked the Yankees’ No. 22 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the 6-foot, 180-pound Cowles was at No. 29.
A right-handed hitting infielder, Cowles, 24, was batting .294 with an .848 OPS at Somerset this year, with nine homers and 51 RBI in 88 games.
In Lockridge, 27, the Yanks gave up a former fifth-round draft pick batting .295 at Triple-A with a .787 OPS in 72 games.
The Yankees are also taking a flyer on former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Brett Phillips who is trying a big-league comeback as a pitcher, as first reported by Francys Romero.
“I saw on Twitter he threw 97 (mph) and I saw that we signed him,” said Blake.
