After weeks of speculation, the pc28Blue Jays are sending all-star starting pitcher J.A. Happ to the New York Yankees.
Speculation that pc28was close to moving the lefthander ramped up on Wednesday night, with reports linking the southpaw to the Yankees, the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Seattle Mariners and the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans were on hug watch during the Jays’ loss to Minnesota Twins Wednesday, with one eye on the dugout waiting to see if the 35-year-old veteran had to say goodbye to his teammates.
But it took until early Thursday afternoon to finalize a deal.
Twenty-five-year-old third baseman Brandon Drury and 23-year-old outfielder Billy McKinney will be sent Toronto’s way in return. Drury, who has played 18 games in the Yankees infield this season, is under contract for three more years. He is currently considered day-to-day with a bruised hand after he was hit by a pitch in Tuesday’s game agaisnt the Tampa Bay Rays. McKinney has spent most of his season with the Yankees Triple A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, where he is hitting .230 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs.
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The Yankees tweeted out a picture of Happ in pinstripes, with the words “It’s HAPPening” late Thursday afternoon.
Happ, with a 10-6 record and a 4.18 ERA, was widely considering the most valuable rental starter on the market ahead of the deadline, primarily because of his performances through the first three months of the season, when he had a 10-3 record and a 3.62 ERA. In four starts in July, he has not gone further than 5 2/3 innings and has a 7.41 ERA over 17 innings.
This is the second deal in as many days by the Jays, who reached a deal Wednesday to send Seunghwan Oh to the Colorado Rockies. The Oh deal, confirmed on Thursday morning, has first baseman Chad Spanberger, outfielder Forrest Wall and a player to be named later or cash considerations coming to the Jays.
Laura
Armstrong is a former Blue Jays and pc28FC beat reporter
for the Star's Sports desk.
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