In a surprising move, the Yankees traded catcher Carlos Narváez to the Red Sox for minor league pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and bonus pool cash.
New York: It’s not every day you see a trade between division rivals, but here we are. The Yankees just sent catcher Carlos Narváez to the Red Sox. In return, they got minor league right-hander Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and some bonus pool money.
Narváez stepped up as a backup for Austin Wells when Jose Trevino got hurt last season. Unfortunately, he didn’t get many chances, only managing three hits in his first 13 at-bats in the big leagues.
This guy has been with the Yankees since 2016, so it’s a big change for him. He was really hitting well in Winter League, though, racking up seven home runs and five doubles with a solid 1.115 OPS in just 23 games.
On the flip side, Rodriguez-Cruz is Boston’s No. 13 prospect. He’s a 21-year-old righty who had a great season last year, posting a 2.31 ERA across two minor league levels.
Plus, the bonus pool money could be a game-changer for the Yankees. It might help them in their chase for Japanese ace Roki Sasaki, who just got posted to MLB teams at the Winter Meetings.