New York Yankees aren’t done; 3 moves the team still must make
By Manny Gómez
Shed Happ’s Salary
I think it’s fair to say that J.A. Happ‘s tenure with the New York Yankees wasn’t quite what the team had hoped it would be. Having been brought at the 2018 trade deadline to combat the surging Boston Red Sox, Happ helped the Yankees make a postseason run that season. In fact, he was undefeated, going 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.052 in his 11 starts with the Yanks.
His postseason performance, however, against those Red Sox left people wondering why he was being referred to as a Red Sox neutralizer. In his only appearance of the 2018 postseason, against Boston Happ only managed to go 2 innings, allowing 4 H, 1 BB, and 5 ER.
Nevertheless, the Yankees opted to reward the veteran starter for his regular-season performance giving him a 2-year, $34M deal. For a while, the deal seemed to appear a fail. Through 25 starts, Happ had a 10-8 record with a 5.58 ERA and a .276 BA against.
His final six starts, however, showed a more polished pitcher. In that time, Happ went 2-0 with a 2.23 ERA and a .177 BA against. What’s more, the 2019 postseason featured the same type of pitcher, albeit from the bullpen. In 3 appearances, he allowed just a single run while posting a 2.45 ERA.
Given the nature of pitcher salaries, Happ’s $17M for one season is quite minuscule. Teams like the Los Angeles Angels, who were in on Happ last season and struck out on Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole this season could use his services. Especially since they just awarded Anthony Rendon with a 7-year, $245M deal.
Happ’s deal is short, relatively inexpensive – Cole Hamels just got $18M by the Atlanta Braves – and manageable.