The NY Yankees have acquired Starlin Castro from the Chicago Cubs in a trade for Adam Warren while at the MLB winter meetings. The reports about Castro being a target for the Yankees had been popping up for weeks and it comes as the team has also been linked to Marlins starter Jose Fernandez.
The Yankees are reportedly also going to give up Brendan Ryan in the deal, according to sources that spoke to ESPN. The Yankees will now have Castro step in as their starting second baseman, a position that was a major weakness for the team last year. Castro is just 25 and has previously been an All-Star three times. ESPN reports that the Yankees were interested in Castro back during the trading deadline and now Castro will join Didi Gregorius in the middle infield for the team.
The Yankees were likely going to use a platoon of Robert Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley if they did not make any acquisitions at the position and now that obviously will change. The Cubs opted to make the deal once they were sure they were signing Ben Zobrist, who reportedly agreed to a four-year deal on Tuesday with Chicago. Warren will be going to Chicago in the Castro deal and he comes in after going 7-7 with a 3.29 ERA last season.
The Yankees lineup will be helped along by Castro, as he is a right-handed hitter and that should help after the team was not so great against lefties last year. The Yankees have been linked to Jose Fernandez this year at the winter meetings and he could be traded by Marlins if the team gets a major haul. The team reportedly wants Luis Severino in the deal, but the Yankees are not willing to give up the pitching prospect at this time, according to reports.