Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees, smarting from getting swept by the rival New York Mets, made a move to bolster their lineup Wednesday night.
Outfielder Andrew Benintendi is headed to the Bronx from the Kansas City Royals for three minor league pitchers.
The Royals received right-handers Chandler Champlain and Beck Way and left-hander T.J. Sikkema in return. None of them have played above Class-A in the minors.
Benintendi, 28, made his first All-Star team this year. He is hitting .320 with three homers, 39 RBIs, a .387 on-base percentage and a .398 slugging percentage through 93 games. The Cincinnati native is due to be a free agent after the season.
He figures to take over as the starting left fielder for the Yankees, who have started seven players at that position this year. Joey Gallo, who has made the most starts at that spot, 40, is hitting .161 with 12 homers. Aaron Hicks, who has started in left 30 times, is batting .243 with six homers.
New York center fielder Aaron Judge said of playing next to Benintendi, “I think he’s going to fit right in.”
Benintendi broke into the majors in 2016 with the Red Sox and was part of Boston’s 2018 World Series championship team. He was dealt to the Royals in February 2021, and last year he earned his first Gold Glove.
In 712 career games, Benintendi has a .280/.352/.432 batting line with 71 homers and 372 RBIs.
After losing 6-3 and 3-2 to the Mets this week, the Yankees are 2-5 since the All-Star break and 10-12 in July. It’s been a significant dropoff for a club that was on pace to match the record of the legendary 1927 Yankees for much of the season’s first half.
Champlain, 23, was a ninth-round draft pick out of the University of Southern California last year. In his first pro season this year, he was 2-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for Class-A Tampa.
Sikkema, 24, was 1-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) for Class-A Hudson Valley this season.
Way, 22, also pitched for Hudson Valley this year, going 5-5 with a 3.73 ERA in 15 starts.
–Field Level Media