Sonny Gray is no longer the Yankees problem. As part of the three-team trade, the Reds included second baseman Shed Long and their 2019 Competitive Balance Round A pick. The Yanks retained the pick but quickly flipped Long to Seattle for center fielder Josh Stowers.
Gray, a former All-Star, couldn’t consistently get it going for the Bombers, who inevitably resorted to dealing the pitcher. Although the return isn’t quite what many would have hoped, Stowers is young — only 21, and adds depth to a farm system that’s beginning to thin out.
Also, draft compensation pick only sweetens the pot.