Around the Empire: Yankees News - 8/1/19

The Ringer | Zack Kram: Kram argues that the Yankees botched the deadline as much as anyone, even in a strange trade season that saw a few contenders stand still as the day passed. The Yankees’, the Dodgers’, and the Twins’, reticence to move stands in severe contrast to the Astros’ acquisition of Zack Greinke, and with no August waiver deadline to fall back on, New York and the rest of the quiet contenders must live with what they have.

NBC Sports | Bill Baer: If you’ve caught your breath from the whirlwind of trades that started right around 3:30 pm ET yesterday, it’s already clear who came out of deadline day looking the best, with the Astros and Braves both earning high praise. You’ll never guess which team is listed as having a pretty soft day.

New York Post | Jared Schwartz: The Yankees did make one deadline deal, sending Joe Harvey out to Colorado in exchange for hard-throwing lefty Alfredo Garcia. Garcia’s struggled in Single-A this year, but if there’s one thing the Yankees can do effectively, it’s produce major-league caliber relief arms, and that seems to be Garcia’s future.

New York Daily News | Kristie Ackert: Aside from Garcia, the Yankees held firm, unimpressed with what Brian Cashman felt was a seller’s market. Talks around Robbie Ray and Zack Wheeler fizzled out, and the Yankees are now turning their attention to the rehabs of Luis Severino and Dellin Betances to provide the shot in the collective arm the pitching staff needs.

Newsday | Anthony Rieber: Yesterday’s deadline didn’t really sting until the very end, when the Houston Astros, perhaps New York’s biggest rival for the pennant, acquired yet another ace in Zack Greinke minutes before trading closed. This is the tough thing about trades; even if you’re behaving perfectly rational, others might not be, and eventually you’re going to have to stare down a rotation of Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Greinke.