Yankees Acquire Encarnacion From Mariners

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the New York Yankees have acquired 1B-DH Edwin Encarnacion from the Seattle Mariners. The Yankees will send minor league pitching prospect Juan Then to Seattle. Encarnacion will arrive in the Bronx leading the AL with 21 home runs. Six days ago, Encarnacion belted his 400th career dinger.

Last December, Encarnacion was acquired by the Mariners in a trade with the Cleveland Indians for Carlos Santana. At the time of that trade, I wrote, "Do the Mariners plan on keeping Encarnacion or will they flip him for prospects the night before Christmas? At this point, the Mariners are sending mixed messages about 2019. In this sense, it is fitting that Mariners GM Jerry DiPoto pulled this deal off in a hospital bed."

The Mariners began this season 13-2, but are 17-41 since. Seattle decided to become sellers on June 2nd when they sent Jay Bruce to the Phillies. On that day I wrote, "With Bruce gone today how long will it be before Encarnacion finds himself toiling for another team?" It would take less than a fortnight and that has nothing to do with a video game.

Although the Yankees are only a 1/2 game out of first place in the AL East, the Bronx Bombers have lost 8 of their last 11 games. The Yankees' acquisition of Encarnacion comes only 48 hours after Kendrys Morales went on the IL due to a left calf strain. With Luke Voit ensconced at first base, the 36-year old Dominican native will primarily DH and will give the Yankees a lot more production than Morales who was hitting .177 with a home run and five RBI in 19 games following his acquisition from the Oakland A's on May 14th. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton just beginning their rehab, the Encarnacion trade is a timely one.

Encarnacion's contract runs through 2020, but the Yankees could opt to buy him out at the end of this season. The Yankees will be Encarnacion's fifth big league stop. In addition to the Mariners and Indians, Encarnacion spent the bulk of his career with the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays.