Update (6:35 PM ET): This is a three-team deal also involving the Diamondbacks, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The Diamondbacks will receive outfielder Steven Souza from the Rays and second baseman Brandon Drury will head to the Yankees.
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Solak, 23, was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2016 draft. He spent last season between High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, hitting a combined .297/.384/.452 with 12 home runs, 53 RBI, 72 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases.
Drury is basically what the doctor ordered for NY.
And Souza is nice insurance if Pollack leaves after this year for AZ, and helps them replace JD. A more well rounded player, but fills the need for a fraction of the price.
not sure what to make of it for the Rays. They got some nice prospects, but they dealt a pretty good outfielder. Not to mention that he was the best hitter on an otherwise mediocre offense in 2017, one that will probably be significantly worse this season.
I am good with this trade. Drury hasn't panned out as the team would have liked & took a step back with the bat in 2017. Banda got a taste in the bigs last year, but struggled in his few starts. Banda at best is a #4 starter.
Basically, for the dbacks, this deal extends their contention window through 2019.
I heard that the two unnamed players going from the dbacks to the rays are outside their top 20 prospects. Considering the dbacks have a bottom third farm, those players won't be anything special.
The added bonus is that Tomas' will be seeing less ABs & if dback fans had their way, he would just be released with the team just eating the $54 mil owed to him.