The New York Yankees made a major splash late on Wednesday night as they acquired Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers. However, given the holes in their lineup and on the pitching staff, one had to imagine that they were not done. However, as they were close to the luxury tax, and are determined to stay under that mark, trades were a little more difficult.
That has not stopped the Yankees from continuing to improve their lineup. On Thursday, they added another key piece as they have acquired Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs.
The Yankees are trading Alcantara and Vizcaino for Rizzo. The Cubs are picking up all of Rizzo’s remaining salary.
— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) July 29, 2021
New York Yankees add another left handed OBP bat
Rizzo adds balance to a lineup that, prior to these two trades, had been extremely right handed heavy. He is also another player capable of getting on base at a high rate, something else that the Yankees have needed. Although his .248/.346/.446 batting line is lower than his typical production, Rizzo still has 14 homers and 16 doubles, helping the Yankees solidify a weak spot in the lineup.
In exchange, the Cubs get a pair of intriguing prospects. Alexander Vizcaino has a lot of potential as a possible top of the rotation arm if he can improve his command. His three quarter arm slot leads to a lot of sink on his plus fastball, turning the mid-90s offering into a ground ball machine. He has a plus changeup that is his strikeout pitch, while his slider could develop into a league average offering.
Kevin Alcantara is a toolsy outfielder with a high ceiling. One of the more highly regarded prospects in the 2018-19 international market, Alcantara has plenty of raw power and excellent speed. His biggest drawback is his difficulty in putting the barrel of the bat on the ball consistently. If he can begin to do so, then he could develop into a future star.
Now that the Yankees have taken care of the biggest holes in their lineup, it may be time to address the pitching staff. The back of the rotation and the bullpen have been problematic, and while Rizzo and Gallo help, the Yankees will need to shut down the opposition should they find their way to the postseason.
The New York Yankees have continued to add to their lineup as they acquired Anthony Rizzo. In just 24 hours, the mood around the team has changed considerably.