Written by Joel Sherman at New York Post.com
The Yankees were determined to improve their 2017 playoff chances and 2018 roster all while not devastating 2019 and beyond.
They believed they threaded that needle Tuesday by obtaining Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox for Blake Rutherford, their first-round pick last year, plus lefty prospect Ian Clarkin, outfield prospect Tito Polo and Tyler Clippard.
So what does it mean:
1. The Yankees have had among the majors’ worst production at first and third base this season. Frazier is hitting just .207, but his .214 average on balls in play is low enough to suggest he has hit into bad luck, particularly because his 18.9 line drive percentage is similar to the 19.3 for his career. In the last big deal between these teams, in November 2008, the Yankees obtained Nick Swisher despite his poor 2007 stats, in part, because they believed his low ball-in-play numbers made him a strong rebound candidate.
No matter what Frazier’s 16 homers add heft at third in place of Chase Headley or at first rather than the revolving door that formed because of Greg Bird’s ankle injury.
2. Robertson would join Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances to give the Yanks a version of what they had when Andrew Miller joined Chapman and Betances. That Robertson has experience closing, in general, and for the Yankees, in specific, means he can do that when Chapman needs a breather while allowing Betances to be more aggressively used before the eighth inning.
But don’t overlook Kahnle. He has been one of the majors’ best relievers this season. The Yankees did not protect him on the 40-man roster after the 2013 season, in part because of wildness. In his first three major league seasons, the righty continued to be beset by the problem, averaging 5.5 walks per nine. But this year it is 1.8 and he is striking out 15 batters per nine innings. Kahnle, Betances, Chapman and Robertson are among the foremost strikeout relievers in the sport.
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