In exchange for international pool money, the Pittsburgh Pirates received an outfielder from the New York Yankees.
Moving outfielders shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the trades we’ve seen the New York Mets make in the last week.
The Yankees have traded outfielder Billy McKinney to the Pirates in exchange for cash considerations, according to Jack Curry of Yes Network. Last week, McKinney inked a minor league contract with the Yankees.
Billy McKinney will have more opportunities to play with the Pirates after appearing in 48 games for New York in 2023. It’s difficult to see McKinney playing much now that Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo have joined, especially if and when Jasson Dominguez returns.
The 29-year-old was the Oakland Athletics’ 2013 first-round selection. He has been a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Mets.
He slashed for the Yankees in 2023, hitting six home runs and driving in fourteen.227,.320, and.406.
This 48-game sample size was the best McKinney has played since 2019, with the exception of the Mets’ 2021 season.
This could mean that the Yankees are actively seeking an outfielder to supplement their roster. There have been rumors circulating that Verdugo will not be part of the team on Opening Day.
There simply wasn’t room on the Yankees roster for McKinney, even though he would have been a reserve player and not an everyday player.
The Pirates will probably give him more time than he would have with New York, and the Yankees will also be able to recoup some of their investment.
