The Yankees acquired right-hander Sonny Gray from the Athletics just prior to the non-waiver trade deadline on Monday afternoon. Both teams confirmed the deal with just under an hour to go before the deadline. Going back to Oakland are three prospects, OF Dustin Fowler, IF Jorge Mateo, RHP James Kaprielian.
The Yankees also got $1.5M in international bonus slot money as part of the deal.
Gray, 27, is coming off a disappointing 2016, but in 2017 he's thus far enjoyed a strong bounce-back campaign. On the year, he's got an ERA+ of 122 with a K/BB ratio of 3.13 after 17 starts. Gray finished third in the AL Cy Young balloting in 2015, and of late he's looked very much like the ace he was during that season. He's not eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season, which no doubt contributed to his appeal on the trade market.
The Yankees earlier this month moved boldly to add Todd Frazier, David Robertson, and Tommy Kahnle in a major trade with the White Sox. However, with Michael Pineda out for the rest of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and Masahiro Tanaka's struggling with his consistency, GM Brian Cashman sensed a need in the rotation. With the Gray addition, he's addressed that need. Also, since Gray is controllable for some time, he fits in with the organizational strategy of contending now and in the long-term.
