By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The New York Yankees have acquired ace James Paxton in a trade on Monday. The Seattle Mariners are receiving three prospects in the deal, including top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield.
The Mariners are rebuilding despite having an 89-73 record last season. Seattle is also receiving outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams and pitcher Erik Swanson in the deal.
This is the Mariners second trade this month. On November 8th, the team traded Mike Zunino, Guillermo Heredia, along with prospect Michael Plassmeyer, to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Seattle received Mallex Smith and prospect Jake Fraley.
Paxton joins a starting rotation that is slated to include Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and CC Sabathia. Right now, Sonny Gray is listed as a starter on the depth chart.
However, the Yankees are trying to deal Gray, who has no future with the team in 2019. Gray was 11-9 with a 4.90 ERA in 130 ⅓ innings last season with the Yankees. He also had a 123 strikeouts and 57 walks.
He went 4-4 at home this past season. He was 7-5 on the road. One of his worst starts came on August 1st at Yankees Stadium, where he gave up seven runs on eight hits in 2 ⅔ innings.
Paxton spent his entire career with the Mariners up until this trade. He went 11-6 in 28 starts, including two complete games and one shutout, this past season. He also had a 3.76 ERA in 160 ⅓ innings with 67 runs (67 earned runs), including 23 home runs. He struck out 617 batters and walked 168.
Sheffield appeared in three games with the Yankees in 2018. He had a 10.13 ERA in 2 ⅔ innings and allowed three runs (three earned runs), including a home run. He also allowed four hits and walked three batters.
