MLB Trade Deadline: Yankees Make Bold Outfield Trade to Land Ichiro Suzuki
July 23, 2012 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
If you are a fan like me, this deal came out of nowhere on Monday.
According to Jack Curry of the YES Network, the Yankees have acquired Ichiro Suzuki from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for DJ Mitchell and Danny Fahrquar.
The Yankees have acquired Ichiro Suzuki for RHPs DJ Mitchell and Danny Fahrquar, a source said. Yanks also get undisclosed cash in deal.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) July 23, 2012
The 38-year old Ichiro is on a down year, hitting .261 with four home runs and 28 RBI with 15 stolen bases for the Mariners in 2012.
In 12 years with Seattle, Ichiro has 2,533 career hits. As he continues on for the next several years, he might have a chance to reach the 3,000-hit club and lock his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman decided to go with the rental, as Ichiro is in the final year of his contract in 2012 and will be a free agent at the end of the season.
The Yankees will likely pick up the rest of what was due on Ichiro’s $17 million deal for the 2012 season.
This was basically a salary dump by the Mariners, taking two mid-range prospects. Mitchell is the bigger name of the two, as he has pitched with the Yankees a little this season.
With the injury to Brett Gardner, Ichiro likely goes to left field to help out with Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones both playing in left. Both are older players who were originally thought to be DH-types, but because of Gardner’s injury, had to step their roles up on the team.
With the acquisition of Ichiro, it will allow both Ibanez and Jones to focus more on being DH-types and playing a lot less in the outfield.
It’ll also be the first time Ichiro will don a uniform outside of Seattle, and it will be interesting to see how the 38-year old Japanese outfielder does in the Bronx.
Cashman has finally pulled the trigger on a deal before the deadline. Now we will see if the deal works out in favor for the Yankees.
Stay tuned, Yankee Universe.
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