Yankees Send Lefty Reliever to AL Rival in Surprise Deal

The New York Yankees are shipping a lefty reliever out of town, but surprisingly struck a deal with a hated AL rival.

Jul 21, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Caleb Ferguson (64) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

This was an offseason move that didn't work out for the New York Yankees.

And with just a few hours to go until the 6 p.m. MLB trade deadline on Tuesday, they found a trade partner for left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson.

The surprise of it all is not that the Yankees dealt the struggling Ferguson, but that they sent him to the AL rival Houston Astros. YES Network insider Jack Curry was the first to report on the Yankees trading Ferguson to Houston for a minor leaguer and international pool money.

New York later announced that the minor leaguer is right-handed pitcher Kelly Austin.

The Yankees acquired Ferguson from the Los Angeles Dodgers this past winter, but they were unable to get the most out of him. In 42 appearances, the veteran southpaw posted an abysmal 5.13 ERA in pinstripes.

Ferguson was a solid bullpen option in Los Angeles for the past five seasons, producing a 3.43 ERA in 201 appearances during this span. He did not have the same luck in Bronx.

The Astros didn't give up much to acquire Ferguson and now have a chance to unlock his potential, which could hurt the Yankees down the line.

That being said, New York acquired right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs earlier this afternoon, which is a strong addition to their bullpen.

With just under two hours to go until the deadline concludes, the Yankees could have some additional moves left in the tank.

AL Cy Young winning ace Gerrit Cole was scratched from his start on Tuesday due to body fatigue. The Yankees have been trying to land a starter, and now this need could be even more glaring.