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The Texas Rangers’ trash is, apparently, the New York Yankees’ treasure

ByNoah Yingling|
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks on the phone prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on March 12, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Many professional and college sports are canceling or postponing their games due to the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks on the phone prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on March 12, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Many professional and college sports are canceling or postponing their games due to the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The New York Yankees have had a puzzling offseason and, frankly, a puzzling half-decade or so. When GM Brian Cashman isn’t busy blaming the Houston Astros for his team’s bad roster construction from five years ago, he is busy making trades … for players on the trash heap of the Texas Rangers, one of the worst teams in baseball.

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman loves former Texas Rangers players

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman has had a love affair with former players of the Texas Rangers this offseason and in recent years, in general. On Saturday, the Yankees traded for catcher José Treviño in exchange for pitcher Albert Abreu and minor league pitcher Robby Ahlstrom.

The Yankees’ last trade was with the Minnesota Twins but it was former Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, who the Twins acquired less than 48 hours earlier from … you guessed it … Frank Stallone. No, it was actually the Texas Rangers.

These are far from the only two players that have been on Yankees who are former members of the Rangers. In fact, here are the players that were former Rangers and the Yankees have had since 2020.

  • Joey Gallo (who is, by far, the best of the group)
  • Joely Rodríguez
  • Rougned Odor
  • Ronald Guzmán
  • Darren O’Day
  • Nick Goody

The Texas Rangers have taken this honor away from the Colorado Rockies, who have had many of their former players sign with the Yankees in the last five years or so.

The former Rockies that the Yankees have signed, traded for, or played with them (Spring Training or regular season) since 2019 include:

  • Troy Tulowitzki (who was great at one time but well past his prime for the Yankees)
  • Mike Tauchman
  • D.J. LeMahieu (who was an MVP candidate until last season so that was a good move)
  • Adam Ottavino
  • Chad Bettis
  • Chris Iannetta
  • Tommy Kahnle
  • Jhoulys Chacín (former and future when the Yankees had him)
  • Rex Brothers
  • David Hale

For the Rockies, it is even more if you go back a few more years (Matt Holliday in 2017, Eric Young, Jr. in 2016, etc.).

You’d never guess that getting players off the scrap heap of bad teams is not a recipe for success but Brian Cashman hasn’t found that out yet. Maybe the Astros are to blame for that too.

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