The Yankees shored up two areas of need over the past 48 hours, acquiring closer Zach Britton from the Orioles for their already formidable bullpen on Tuesday and finalizing a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for starting pitcher J. A. Happ Thursday afternoon.
Britton was acquired in exchange for minor-league pitchers Dillon Tate, Cody Carroll and Josh Rogers. The Yankees then sent the third baseman Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney, an outfielder who had been playing for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, to Toronto for Happ.
“We feel like with the additions we’ve made here we’re in a much better place as a club,” Manager Aaron Boone said before Thursday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium.