The New York Yankees acquired the second overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft from the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
Dustin Ackley was sent to New York in exchange for outfielder Ramon Flores and right-handed reliever Jose Ramirez, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network. The trade was confirmed by Joel Sherman of the New York Post shortly thereafter.
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News mentioned last night that the Yankees contacted the Mariners about Ackley, who primarily plays the outfield since switching over from second base a couple of seasons ago.
The Yankees and Mariners confirmed the deal on their official Twitter accounts.
#Yankees acquire Dustin Ackley from Mariners for OF Ramon Flores and RHP Jose Ramirez.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 30, 2015
The #Mariners have acquired OF Ramon Flores and RHP Jose Ramirez from the #Yankees in exchange for OF Dustin Ackley.
— MarinersPR (@MarinersPR) July 30, 2015
In case there was any curiosity as to why the Yankees traded two young players for Ackley, who is batting just .215/.270/.366 with 22 runs scored, 6 home runs and 19 RBIs in 85 games this season, Sherman provided some insight as to why:
#Yankees were going to have 40-man roster crunch with LH-hit OFs/RH rlvrs this winter, so Flores/Ramirez depart #Mariners
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 30, 2015
Additionally, there were previous trade rumors that linked Ackley to the Yankees mainly because New York likes the 27-year-old's power potential, especially in Yankee Stadium. Well, in 17 career games when visiting the Bronx, Ackley is batting .296/.397/.481 with two home runs and nine RBIs.
As for the M's, they'll get a couple of young players in return. Flores, 23, appeared in 12 games this season and is batting .286/.377/.417 with 43 runs scored, 7 home runs and 34 RBIs in 73 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 25-year-old Ramirez has given up five earned runs in three innings this year with New York, but is 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 32 games (49 2/3 innings) in Triple-A as well.
The trade deadline is less than 24 hours away and there's expected to be much more action.
