Yankees Gain Plenty of Control in Deals for Montas, Relievers

The Yankees didn’t add any rentals on Monday, instead trading for a trio that can help the team beyond 2022.

The Yankees are in win-now mode, but the trades they made on Monday are poised to help them well after the 2022 season ends.

New York swung two deals a day before the trade deadline. First, they acquired reliever Scott Effross from the Cubs in exchange for pitching prospect Hayden Wesneski. Then New York landed starter Frankie Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from the Athletics for a package that included prospects JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina and Cooper Bowman.

The Yankees also traded for Andrew Benintendi last week. But unlike the outfielder, the three pitchers New York added on Monday are not rentals.

While Benintendi could leave for free agency this offseason, Montas, Trivino and Effross remain under team control. That’s an important detail considering the Yankees have dealt a handful of promising pitching prospects this trade season.

Montas, a major addition to New York’s rotation, won’t be a free agent until after next season. He is making just over $5 million this season and will be arbitration eligible one more time before hitting the open market.

Trivino, meanwhile, is under team control through 2024. If the Yankees can turn his season around – he had a 6.47 ERA in Oakland – he could become a key factor in New York’s pen over the next few years.

And then there’s Effross, who is under club control through 2027. A breakout rookie at age 28, the sidearmer could turn himself into a long-term fixture in the Yankees’ bullpen if he can replicate the 2.66 ERA he posted in Chicago.

Of course, all three pitchers, and Benintendi, will have to perform the rest of this season if they want to prolong their pinstriped careers. But the Yankees were able to plan for the distant future on Monday, even if their main focus is on the next three months.

MORE:

• What Scott Effross Brings to the Yankees' Bullpen
• Yankees Shrug Off Frankie Montas’ Recent Shoulder Issue
• Yankees Move Luis Severino, Miguel Castro to 60-Day Injured List; What it Means

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