The New York Yankees knew they needed an upgrade in the infield and they went out and got it. After general manager Brian Cashman said time and time again that the Yankees were looking to make cost-effective moves this offseason, they fell to temptation when a trade emerged for Starlin Castro. After getting the infielder from the Chicago Cubs, what happens to Rob Refsnyder moving forward?
According to ESPN's Buster Olney confirmed by the Yankees, New York sent Adam Warren and Brendan Ryan to the Cubs in exchange for Castro. The Yankees now take on the four-year, $37 million deal owed to the infielder as he is expected to be the starter on opening day. The move to get Castro essentially means Cashman was blowing smoke expressing his confidence in Refsnyder along with Dustin Ackley. After stating the Yankees were not chasing Ben Zobrist or Daniel Murphy because they liked their in-house options, the general manger clearly changed his mind.
The New York Daily News reports that Refsnyder is likely headed down to the minors with Dustin Ackley serving in the utility role going forward. However, the Yankees could aim to trade Refsnyder for pitching help in the coming days. The infielder has a limited resume to his name, but is considered a top prospect. Refsnyder tossed into a deal with Ivan Nova could entice a team to make a trade going forward. Castro is going to be around in New York for a long time coming which means Refsnyder is not as needed for the future as he once was before. With Ackley a capable utility man, the Yankees can try to aim high for a trade of the younger option.
The trade for Castro saw the departure of Warren which puts pressure on New York to get more pitchers. Warren was a solid option as both a starter and bullpen threat which means the Yankees need at least two players to potentially replace him. If the Yankees do not want to trade, they could stick with Nova and put him in the bullpen while potentially moving up Bryan Mitchell. According to Olney, the Yankees are showing interest in Jose Fernandez and could take aim at Julio Teheran from the Atlanta Braves. One of those moves could cost them a package of Nova and Refsnyder depending on the team. Regardless, the Yankees need pitching now with Castro stabilizing the infield. They just need to determine the best way to get it.
