Yankees acquire Brandon McCarthy from the Diamondbacks for Vidal Nuno

The Yankees made a nice upgrade in their beleaguered starting rotation on Sunday, acquiring right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy from the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with cash, and all for the price of lefty Vidal Nuno.

ESPN Buster Olney says that the D-Backs will eat $2.05 million of the $4.1 million owed to McCarthy for through the remainder of the 2-14 season. The Yankees, meanwhile, will pay the $1 million assignment bonus in McCarthy's contract -- he is a free-agent after the season.

McCarthy is coming to New York after going 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA over 18 starts with Arizona this season. McCarthy was 1-10 with 5.38 ERA in first the 16 starts this season. However, he's won his past two outings, allowing 3 earned runs with 12 strikeouts over 12.2 innings.

Because of numbers like the first 16 starts, this move doesn't really excite me -- especially when you consider that he was pitching in big pitcher-friendly parks out in the west, and not he'll be coming to a very hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium -- but he's definitely an upgrade over Nuno, who was 2-5 with a 5.42 ERA over 17 appearances (14 starts) in 2014.

He spent several years of his career with the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. He was really good for a couple of years in Oakland during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, but hasn't been as good since moving out to Arizona before the 2013 season.

"McCarthy's an experienced starter," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We expect him to pitch well for us and give us distance. I know he's had his struggles, but he's seemed to turn it around. He's got a good arm, and we need him to help us."

McCarthy told reporters that we will make his Yankee debut on Wednesday in Cleveland, but Girardi wouldn't confirm that, rather hinting the Yankees could bring somebody up from the minors to take Nuno's spot and pitch on Monday.

 Which, by the way, the Yankees just announced that Shane Greene will come up and start against the Cleveland Indians tomorrow.

After reports came out yesterday that the Yankees were swapping proposals on trades with the Chicago Cubs regarding Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel -- both traded to the Athletics -- it only confirmed that Brian Cashman is working away to improve his club a few weeks before the trading deadline.

I think that Cashman made a great deal here, whether it works out or not. I mean, he got the D-Backs to give up McCarthy and pay for part of his salary, and all it took was Nuno! Now that's what I call a steal.

As for Nuno, he'll make his debut for the D-Backs on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.

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