Yankees send Matt Thornton to the Nationals in waiver claim

In a somewhat surprising roster move this afternoon, the Yankees are sending Matt Thornton to the Washington Nationals after the left-hander was placed on waivers by the Bombers today, reports CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.

By waiving Thornton's contract and sending him to the Nationals, the Yankees will save about $4 million that was left on his salary -- the rest of this season, plus the $3.5 million he's owed in 2015.

Thornton wasn't the best pitcher in the Yankees' bullpen this season after signing on during the winter, be he's been solid as the lefty out of the bullpen, posting a 2.33 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks in 24.2 innings this season. At 38-years-old, it would make sense that the Yankees don't want to be on the hook for him much longer, but they're losing a good bullpen arm with this move.

According to Daniel Barbarisi, left-hander Rich Hill, who signed a minor league deal with the Yankees a few weeks back, will be called up to take Thornton's place as the LOOGY in the bullpen.

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In other waiver news, Heyman also reports that Brett Gardner, Stephen Drew, and Martin Prado have cleared waivers. Not that the Yankees are really trying to trade these guys at the moment, but it opens up the door down the road.

Gardner, who is in the final year of his contract before a four-year, $52 million extension kicks in, is hitting .286 with 15 homers, 50 RBI, 71 runs, 18 steals and an .831 OPS this season.

Both Prado and Drew were just acquired last week and it would be hard to see the Yankees having any interest moving either of them.

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Yankees make last minute deadline trade for D-Backs' Martin Prado

Just when you thought that Stephen Drew was the only deadline deal that Brian Cashman managed to pull off, Jake Curry comes at you with this:

Yankees have acquired Prado from Arizona.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) July 31, 2014

According to MLB.com Steve Gillbert, the Yankees will be sending C/1B Peter O'Brien out to Arizona, bringing back Pardo in return. The Yankees are also giving the D-Backs cash or a player to be named later, according to a team release.

 Prado was having a bit of a down year for the Diamondbacks, hitting .270 with five homeruns and 42 RBIs this season. Over his last 162 games, the  batting .285/.332/.403 with 72 R, 34 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 83 RBI, & 2 SB.

But while he can hit, the real value is with his glove, where he can play all around the diamond, spending most of his time at third base this season. He can also play the outfield, and I'm thinking that he'll play mostly right field as an upgrade for the struggling Ichiro Suzuki.

Prado still has two years and $22 million left on his current contract, so he'll give the Yankees good third base option next season in case the team does not want to re-sign Chase Headley, and even in the even that Alex Rodriguez has played his last game in pinstripes.

As for O'Brien, the Yankees clearly sold high on the right-handed hitter with 33 homeruns between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton this season. Originally a catcher, the Yankees were working him at first base with the hopes of getting him to the big leagues a little quicker. Seems like a bad deal at first, but O'Brien is not a super talented prospect, and the Yankees found the right deal to move him.

I feel like I'm always saying this, but again, Brian Cashman made yet another move in which he didn't have to part ways with one of the biggest prospects in the system.

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Yankees acquire left-hander Chris Capuano from Colorado Rockies for cash

As the trade deadline approaches, Brain Cashman refuses to sit around and do nothing.

The Yankees announced on Thursday night that they have acquired left-handed pitcher Chris Capuano from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash considerations.

Capuano, 35, started the year with the Boston Red Sox after signing a minor league deal near the end of the winter, appearing in 28 games with Boston out of the bullpen this season, posting a 1-1 record with a 4.55 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings.

He was released by the Red Sox on July 1, and signed with the Rockies a few days later, on the Fourth of July, staying with the Rockies' Triple-A, where he was 1-0 with a 3.07 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

SB Nation's Chris Cotillo says that Capuano will immediately join the Yankees' big league roster. If that's true, my guess is that Jeff Francis, who has only appeared on one game since being acquired over two weeks ago, will either be optioned to Triple-A, or designated for assignment since a 40-man roster spot would need to be cleared for Capuano.

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Thoughts following the Chase Headley trade: low risk, high reward for the Yankees

Brian Cashman made another needed move to improve the team on Tuesday, acquiring third baseman Chase Headley from the San Diego Padres along with about a $1 million in exchange for Yangervis Solarte and minor league pitcher Rafael De Paula.

Headley is a player that the Yankees have had an eye on for a long time, and needing another productive bat in the lineup, Cashman made a deal to get him, even if he's only here through the rest of the season.

Some thoughts on the deal.....

1. Say what you will about Cashman, but he's made two potentially impact deals this month that included the second team paying the Yankees to take a player off their hands. He managed to get Brandon McCarthy and cash from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Vidal Nuno, and now he got Headley and cash for Solarte, a rookie that hasn't been productive since mid-May, and De Paula, 23, who hasn't made it past High-A Tampa yet and has struggled with control issues over the past couple of seasons. De Paula still has big league potential, but Cashman didn't have to give up one of the system's more prominent arms, and that's important.
2. Hitting .229/.296/.355 (88 wRC+) with seven homers and 12 doubles through 77 games this season with the Padres, there is to suspect that Headley, 30, will be able to start hitting a little bit more with the help of the small, hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, rather than the big and spacious Petco Park -- that's what you have to hope for when a player moves away from a bigger ballpark. Also, he was batting .298/.330/.405 in 21 games since receiving an epidural a couple weeks ago to deal with a back issue that the Yankees believe won't be an issue, so he's coming over to the Yankees swinging a nice bat already.
3. Headley has never been considered a Gold Glove fielder at third base, and even Cashman acknowledged that yesterday, but he's clearly an upgrade over what Kelly Johnson and Solarte player there everyday, with even Zelous Wheeler platooning in and out.
4. Cashman only called Headley a rental yesterday, but you really have to think that if he performs well for the remainder of the season and really likes playing in New York that the Yankees will considering signing him to a multi-year deal with Alex Rodriguez lined up to rejoin the team next spring after sitting out an entire season, adding onto the second hip surgery that he had last season. I've been right along side all of the people that believe A-Rod has played not only his last game for the Yankees, but his last game in professional baseball. Reports from earlier in the year have said that the Yankees would be willing to bring A-Rod back next season if he's able to give them anything productive with the bat. I still don't believe that he'll be back in pinstripes next season, and they could be much better off filling the clear need at third base long-term.
5. Back to talking about the Yankees gave up: De Paula isn't considered a major loss for the farm system. Sign for $500k out of Dominican Republic in 2010, he did not make his pro debut until 2012 due to visa issues and was also suspended one year before signing for lying about his age. He impressed in the first half of 2013, with a 2.94 ERA, 13.43 K/9 and 3.22 BB/9 in Low-A Charleston, but never seemed to adjust once he got to High-A Tampa, with control issues being his biggest problem. Hopefully he finds s good groove in San Diego. But yeah, the Yankees have taken a pair of players that weren't even considered locks to made the team out of spring training -- Nuno and Solarte -- and turned them into half seasons of McCarthy and Headley. In the end, if this fails, the Yankees didn't give up much in the first place.

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Yankees acquire Chase Headley from the Padres for Yangervis Solarte and minor leaguer

The Yankees are closing in on a deal for San Diego Padres third base Chase Headley, reports the YES Network's Jack Curry. ESPN's Andrew Marchand says that the Yankees will be sending Yangervis Solarte and minor league pitcher Rafael De Paula, who has spent the last couple of seasons in High-A Tampa, to the Padres.

Headley was with the Padres in Chicago, so we'll have to see if he's able to get to New York in time for tonight's game against the Texas Rangers.

Headley hasn't been great since 2012, when he hit .286 with 31 homeruns and 115 RBIs -- he's hitting just .229 with seven homeruns and 32 RBI this season -- but he's still a good switch-hitter that could turn things around in Yankee Stadium, compared to playing in the big, spacious Petco Park.

After turning 30-years-old in May, Headley will be a free-agent after the season, so even if the Yankees aren't able to re-sign him, they never really gave up in the first place. Great move by Brian Cashman for getting a potentially productive hitter for very little.

The Yankees have been interested in Headley for a couple of years, and they have finally gotten their man. It's a start in fixing this team, but there are still more moves to be made.

I would just like to thank the @Padres and the city of San Diego for the best years of my life. I'm excited to join the Yankee organization!
— Chase Headley (@ChaseHeadley7) July 22, 2014

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Yankees acquire left-hander Jeff Francis from Oakland

The Yankees have made a move to replace Masahiro Tanaka in their rotation for the next six weeks, at least -- it's left-hander Jeff Francis, who the team acquired from the Oakland Athletics along with cash for a player to be named later.

Francis, who was designated for assignment by the A's last week, will join the Yankees tonight in Baltimore for their series opener against the Orioles.

In another series of moves, the Yankees have also recalled right-handed reliever Matt Daley from Triple-A Scranton, while designating Jim Miller for assignment.

The 33-year-old Francis posted a 6.08 ERA over 13 1/3 innings in nine relief appearances in Oakland. He started the year with the Cincinnati Reds, getting one start with the club before he was claimed off of waivers by the A's.

Obviously it's not much, but it's another arm to throw in for a team that has seen it's bullpen throw a lot of innings lately. I'm not sure if he'll be going to the bullpen or into the rotation. Either way, both of those could use a lefty.

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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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Vidal Nuno's struggles showing the Yankees' need for another starter

The Baltimore Orioles slung another beating to Vidal Nuno on Saturday, knocking in five runs (four earned) on three homeruns against Nuno to beat the Yankees 6-1. After the game, manager Joe Girardi told reporters after the game that Nuno's next start, against the Boston Red Sox on Friday, will not be skipped, and even though he didn't say it, it's probably not because Girardi believes that Nuno actually the best man for the job -- the Yankees flat out don't really anybody to replace him.

CC Sabathia isn't coming back until August, likely. He threw a 38-pitch bullpen before the game and is heading down to Tampa this week. Girardi also announced afterwards that there is still a trace of inflammation in Michael Pineda's shoulder muscles, meaning he'll be shutout for another week. I don't think we'll be seeing him against until at least either.

Down on the farm, Manny Banuelos is still throwing three innings a start down in Double-A Trenton. If he comes to the big leagues at all this season -- which seemed like a possibility during spring training -- it would likely be as a reliever during September call-ups. Shane Green isn't ready, I don't think, and the closest thing to a ready starter at Triple-A is a guy hardly anybody would risk giving a chance to -- Alfredo Aceves.

A lot of people have been bringing it up lately that the Yankees could always move Adam Warren to the rotation. I think that would be a very silly mistake on Girardi's part. Warren is in the bullpen because he wasn't one of the team's best starters, but he was still good enough to help the team. He's helping in the bullpen, with 2.04 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 39.2 innings this season. Not to mention, he hasn't started since spring training, so you'd have to stretch him out first.

So it's pretty evident that the Yankees need to deal for another starting pitcher before the trading deadline is they want to stay in this playoff race -- and the way things look, which ever teams makes the biggest move at the deadline could very well win the AL East.

General Manager Brian Cashman said earlier in the week that the Yankees are looking to make a couple of moves before the July 31 trade deadline, and ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote this week that the Yankees have been asking teams about almost only pitchers in their preliminary trade talks.

At this point in the season, it's tough to tell which teams might actually be willing to deal one of their best starters thanks to the second wild card spot keeping more teams in the playoff race far past July 31, meaning more teams are now waiting to see if they're actually a contender or a pretender.

There are a few notable pitchers on the trade market that the Yankees could look into, and a few more that will figure to be on the market depending on where their team is in the standings that the Yankees have been linked to, too.

Let's get the obvious names out of the way: the Yankees, for some reason, were one of the many teams to have a scout at David Price's start against the Houston Astros on Friday night. The Yankees don't have enough in their farm system to piece together a respectable offer for the Rays, and even if they did, it would be hard to see Tampa dealing Price within their own division.

Jeff Samardzija is a more realistic possibility for the Yankees, but even then, I still think his price tag will be too high for them to match. If you're looking for a reasonable name to watch, it would be Samardzija's teammate with the Cubs, right-hander Jason Hammel, who would be a very quality middle of the rotation start for the Yankees, slotting in behind Masahiro Tanaka and Hiroki Kuroda.

Hammel is currently 6-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 14 starts for Chicago this season, with 85 strikeouts, 19 walks, and a 1.019 WHIP in 89.1 innings. I think of all the pitchers on the market, Hammel might be the best fit and most safe pick, in terms of them not having to give up a ton, compared to the king's ransom they're throw at teams for Price or Samardzija.

One last name getting a lot of thought -- from me, at least -- would be the Phillies' Cliff Lee, who has been on the DL for the past month but hopes to return before the All-Star break. The Yankees have had an eye on Lee for quite some time, and given then opportunity to get him, Cashman might not pass up on it.

Right now, the Yankees' rotation is being carried by the leading AL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young candidate Masahiro Tanaka, who has been everything and more then the Yankees hoped, and Chase Whitley, who is 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA in seven starts -- but we really don't know how long he can keep it up -- so until the Yankees get their reinforcements in Sabathia and Pineda -- again, don't know when or even what you'll get from them -- they have to make moves to avoid sitting through more troubling starts from Vidal Nuno.

Like I said, the AL East can easily be won by the team that makes the best mid-season move to improve their club. It's time for the Yankees to make that move.

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Shawn Kelley returns from the DL; Yankees reacquire David Huff from the Giants

As expected, right-hander Shawn Kelley was activated off of the DL before Wednesday night's game against the Seattle Mariners. But that wasn't all, as the Yankees also acquired left-hander David Huff from the San Francisco Giants for cash. The Yankees traded Huff to San Francisco during the offseason.

Kelley has not pitched in a big league game since May 6 due to a lumbar spine strain, but he'll be slotted back in the Yankees' bullpen as one of their more important late-inning arms, joining Dellin Betances and Adam Warren, who both stepped up big while Kelley was on the shelf.

"It just gives me more versatility; gives me another late-inning guy with the two that we've had, that we've been using a lot," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think all these guys are interchangeable. It gives us more depth."

To make room for Kelley on the active roster, the Yankees optioned right-hander Matt Daley down to Triple-A Scranton, deciding to send him down over rookie Jose Ramirez, who can give the Yankees some more length out of the bullpen.

To clear room for Huff, the Yankees designated left-hander Wade LeBlanc for assignment. LeBlanc only made one appearance for the Yankees after being acquired off of waivers last week from the Los Angeles Angels.

Huff made 11 appearances with the Yankees in 2013, including two starts. This season for the Giants, was 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in 16 appearances.

Girardi told reporters that Huff will be used as  multi-inning reliever that can give about 45 pitches.

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A healthy Michael Pineda can be a big victory for the Yankees

PALM COAST, Fla. -- Even if they don't win a championship, the Yankees have a chance to be major winners this season.

Two winters ago, when the Yankees sent their top overall prospect, Jesus Montero, to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Michael Pineda, an all-star pitcher with some serious potential, they thought they had acquired their future ace.

But a couple of shoulder surgeries later, the Yankees have yet to see him throw a Major League pitch in anything more than spring training.

Pineda is finally healthy -- at least that is what Brian Cashman is telling us -- entering spring training this year, and is ready to compete for a spot in the rotation for the first time since coming to New York.

For both teams involved in the trade, the Yankees and Mariners, this trade that featured nothing but promising young prospects has been a disaster. The Yankees have had to deal with Pineda's shoulder problems, and Montero not only dealt with some injuries, but he performed so badly in 2013 that he was sent back down to the minor leagues.

In all, nobody got what they thought they would.

But that can change this year with Pineda and the Yankees. Assuming he can stay healthy, they'll have a chance to be the winners of the trade, even if the victory comes a few years later.

Of course, everyone has their views on the matter, and I'm sure Cashman and Joe Girardi will have different opinions on how to use Pineda, but here is how I see things shaping out.

Pineda will be battling for the fifth spot in the Yankees' rotation this spring, and the job won't be won easily. He'll be going up against the like of David Phelps, who won the job last spring, Adam Warren, and Vidal Nuno. Warren pitched well out of the bullpen last season, and might be more suited in that role, and Nuno proved to be effected in his couple of starts in 2013.

There is always a chance that the Yankees decided to bring in one more starter, maybe someone with more experience, to compete for the final starting spot. But I don't see that happening right now.

Although, I think that of four starters most likely in the running for the job, Pineda might be in line to win it, ahead of Phelps, Nuno and Warren.

The reason being that the Yankees invested heavily in him, and really want to see what he can give them.

If you remember, this guy was an all-star in 2011, his last year in Seattle before being traded. If he can earn himself a rotation spot, and pitch to half of the level he was at in 2011, Pineda becomes, possibly, the best fifth starter in the game, and helps set the Yankees' rotation near the top of the league.

However, I don't expect Pineda to come back that great right away. He hasn't faced Major league hitters in a couple of years -- he only made a few starts in the minors last season - and it might take him a little bit of time to adjust.

But if he can get back to normal, and stay healthy, then Pineda becomes a major asset to the Yankees not just this year, but for the next few years. And with the farm system where it is, that's a pretty big victory for the Yankees.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below).

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