This ain’t Brian Cashman’s first rodeo.
Some trade deadlines, the Yankees general manager ties down his prey, so to speak, in his hunt for starting pitchers. In other years, Cashman himself has been figuratively roped.
Here’s a breakdown of all the July trades Cashman has made for experienced starting pitchers.
2000
Denny Neagle
How Acquired: July 12 deal with Reds along with OF Mike Frank for OF Jackson Melian, 3B Drew Henson, RHP Brian Reith and LHP Ed Yarnall.
2000 Yankees stats: 7-7, 5.81 ERA
2000 postseason stats: 0-2, 4.30 ERA in 3 starts in ALCS and World Series.
Trade grade: D+
Comment: Neagle’s brief Yankees run can be best remembered for, and symbolized by, Joe Torre’s decision to remove him with two outs in the fifth inning _ one out short of qualifying for a win — in 2000 World Series Game 4, as the legendary manager didn’t want his lefty facing Mets beast Mike Piazza again. That the move worked, with David Cone retiring Piazza, had to hurt Neagle all the more.
2001
Sterling Hitchcock
How Acquired: July 30 deal with Padres for OF Darren Blakeley and RHP Brett Jodie.
2001 Yankees stats: 4-4, 6.49 ERA
2001 postseason stats: 1-0, 2.57 ERA
Combined Yankees stats (2001-03): 6-9, 5.84. Note: Hitchcock also pitched for the Yankees from 1992 through 1995.
Trade grade: D
Comment: Compounding the lack of return, the Yankees re-signed Hitchcock to a two-year, $12-million contract after the season, only to see him quickly turn into a non-entity.
2002
Jeff Weaver
How Acquired: From Tigers on July 5th as part of a three-team trade in which the A’s received LHP Ted Lilly, OF John-Ford Griffin and RHP Jason Arnold from the Yankees; the Tigers received 1B Carlos Pena, RHP Franklyn German and a player to be named later (RHP Jeremy Bonderman) from the A’s; the A’s received cash from the Tigers.
2002 Yankees stats: 5-3, 4.04 ERA
2002 Postseason stats: 0-0, 6.75 ERA in 2 ALDS relief appearances.
Combined Yankees stats (2002-03): 12-12, 5.35 ERA in 47 games (32 starts)
Combined Yankees postseason stats (2002-03): 0-1, 7.36 ERA in 3 games (0 starts)
Trade grade: F+.
Comment: Weaver actually pitched all right in 2002 before falling apart in 2003, but what really hurt here is what a good fit Lilly appeared to be for the Yankees and what a good career he proceeded to have.
2004
Esteban Loaiza
How Acquired: July 31 trade with White Sox for RHP Jose Contreras and cash.
2004 Yankees stats: 1-2, 8.50 ERA
2004 Postseason stats: 0-1, 1.08 ERA in 3 relief appearances in ALDS and ALCS.
Trade grade: F+
Comment: He could’ve been a hero in 2004 ALCS Game 5, if only his teammates had scored against Tim Wakefield in extra innings. Alas, they didn’t and he wasn’t, and Contreras won a ring with the 2005 White Sox
2005
Al Leiter
How Acquired: In July 16 trade with Marlins along with about $2.4 million; the Yankees agreed to pay about $400,000 of Leiter’s salary
2005 Yankees stats: 4-5, 5.49 ERA
2005 Postseason stats: 1-0, 7.36 ERA
Trade grade: C+
Comment: Returning to the team that drafted and developed him as a low-risk pickup, Leiter delivered a few clutch outings in what turned out to be his final season.
Shawn Chacon
How Acquired: In July 28 trade with Rockies for RHP Eduardo Sierra and RHP Ramon Ramirez
2005 Yankees stats: 7-2, 2.85 ERA
2005 Postseason stats: 0-0, 2.84 ERA in one ALDS start
Combined Yankees stats (2005-06): 12-6, 4.69 ERA in 31 games (23 starts)
Trade grade: A-
Comment: The fact that the Yankees traded him in the middle of next season reflected just how fluky his ‘05 excellence was. He’ll always have that ‘05, though.
2006
Cory Lidle
How Acquired: Along with OF Bobby Abreu as part of July 30th trade with Phillies for SS C.J. Henry, C Jesus Sanchez, RHP Carlos Monasterios and LHP Matt Smith
2006 Yankees Stats: 4-3, 5.16 ERA
2006 Yankees Postseason stats: 0-0 with 20.25 ERA in one ALDS relief appearance
Trade grade: A
Comment: This one graded so well because of Abreu, who performed exactly as the Yankees hoped from ‘06 through ‘08. Poor Lidle helped only a little and then died tragically just days after the Yankees’ ‘06 ALDS elimination when a small plane he was piloting crashed into an Upper East Side apartment building.
2014
Brandon McCarthy
How Acquired: From Diamondbacks on July 6th for LHP Vidal Nuno III
2014 Yankees stats: 7-5, 2.89 ERA
Trade grade: A
Comment: The Yankees fixed McCarthy, who had tallied a 5.01 ERA with Arizona that season, by encouraging him to resume throwing the cutter that the D-Backs had instructed him to junk.
Chris Capuano
How Acquired: In July 24 cash deal with Rockies
2014 Yankees stats: 2-3, 4.25 ERA
Combined Yankees stats (2014-15): 2-7, 5.67 ERA in 34 games (16 starts)
Trade grade: C
Comment: This move was both forgettable and forgivable. Less so the $5 million the Yankees gave him to pitch below replacement value in 2015.
2017
Jaime Garcia
How Acquired: In July 30 trade with Twins for RHP Zack Littell and LHP Dietrich Enns
2017 Yankees stats: 0-3, 4.82 ERA
2017 Postseason stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA in one ALDS relief appearance.
Trade grade: F
Comment: His only mildly entertaining moment occurred when he grew visibly upset over Joe Girardi removing him from a game.
Sonny Gray
How Acquired: Along with international bonus money from A’s on July 31 for RHP James Kaprielian, SS Jorge Mateo and OF Dustin Fowler
2017 Yankees stats: 4-7, 3.72 ERA
2017 Postseason stats: 0-1 with 4.32 ERA in two starts in ALDS and ALCS
Combined Yankees stats (2017-18): 15-16, 4.51 ERA in 41 games (34 starts)
Trade grade: D
Comment: Really not bad in ‘17, only to see his ‘18 go so poorly that upon the season’s conclusion, Cashman publicly proclaimed his desire to trade him.
2018
J.A. Happ
How Acquired: In July 26 trade with Blue Jays for IF Brandon Drury and OF Billy McKinney
2018 Yankees stats: 7-0, 2.69 ERA
2018 Postseason stats: 0-1, 22.50 ERA in one ALDS start.
Combined Yankees stats (2018-19): 15-6, 4.27 ERA in 32 starts
Trade grade: B+
Comment: The decision to trade for him would be more celebrated only if Happ didn’t bomb out in ALDS Game 1 at Fenway Park. The decision last winter to re-sign him, on the other hand…
Lance Lynn
How Acquired: In July 30 trade with Twins for OF/1B Tyler Austin and RHP Luis Rojo
2018 Yankees stats: 3-2, 4.14 ERA
2018 Postseason stats: 0-0, 11.57 ERA in 1 ALDS relief appearance.
Trade grade: C
Comment: He pitched better in the regular season than his ERA indicates. He really let the Yankees down in the postseason, however.