In exchange for Zobrist, the Royals traded minor-league pitchers Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea.
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For the Yankees, Zobrist would be considered a steady upgrade over current starting second baseman Stephen Drew, who homered in the Yankees’ win over the Twins Sunday and has 13 bombs on the year but is also hitting just.188.
Although he is versatile enough to play nearly anywhere on the field, Zobrist figures to step in and play second base every day with the Royals.
Zobrist, a switch-hitter, is batting. Zobrist got off to a slow start in Oakland after enduring a knee injury, but he is fully healthy now.
By trading Zobrist, the A’s continue to add young pitching to their system.
The Royals added Johnny Cueto in a trade with the Reds this past weekend, shoring up a rotation that has dealt with a struggling Yordano Ventura and had lost Jason Vargas for the year with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
In return, the Athletics get back prospects for the future, a hallmark of Billy Beane’s tenure in Oakland, with Manaea being ranked Kansas City’s third-best prospect by Baseball America (h/t MLB Daily Dish). Manaea, 23, began the 2015 season in High-A, and has been promoted to Double-A. The right hander has seen time in the Major Leagues this season. Options like this will be key for the Royals down the stretch, as they attempt to one-up their 2014 campaign in which they made it to – but lost – in the World Series.
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Oakland Athletics utility infielder Ben Zobrist is drawing intense interest from several teams as the non-waiver trade deadline nears.
