There are still four days to go until the trade deadline, but plenty of teams spent Thursday checking items off their shopping list. Let’s run down and grade the day’s deals, including a notable pitcher addition in the Bronx and a top reliever joining the Brewers.
On the surface, this is an easy trade to understand. The Yankees need a fifth starter, as rookie Domingo German posted a 5.68 ERA in 82 1/3 innings before being sent down last week. The Blue Jays, at 46–55, are going nowhere this season. Happ, at 35 and a free agent this winter, wasn’t part of their long-term plans.