Blockbuster Trade Is Promising for Both Teams in 2020 Season

By: Olivia Frasca and Anthony Tristani

The offseason extension should serve Judge well as he adjusts to the trade and recovers from his injuries. Credit: WFAN Sports Radio

With the indefinite suspension of most sports due to the novel coronavirus, the MLB offseason has been extended. The season’s opening day was supposed to take place on March 26 but is now likely to begin in mid-May. 

General managers are taking advantage of this extra time to upgrade their rosters. Now is the perfect time for them to sign new players and make valuable trades for when the season opens up. 

On April 1, 2020, the New York Yankees agreed to trade outfielder Aaron Judge in exchange for the New York Mets’ starting pitcher Jacob deGrom. 

The blockbuster trade was completed this morning through the general managers of both teams, Yankees’ Brian Cashman and Mets’ Brodie Van Wagenen. 

With the Yankees in need of a starting pitcher and the Mets in need of an offensive outfielder, the trade appears to be a win-win for both professional teams of the New York metropolitan area and could be their gateway to the playoffs. 

For the 2019 MLB season, deGrom, 31, was considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. DeGrom pitched 32 games for the Mets and managed to win 11 games. 

During those games, he had a 2.43 earned run average and 255 strikeouts, leading in the National League. Due to his impressive performance, he earned his second consecutive Cy Young Award and was selected to the NL All-Star Team and All-MLB First Team. 

The awarded pitcher will be joining a new rotation of players at the Yankees, which includes Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, and James Paxton.

Compared to deGrom’s stellar season, Judge, 27, had what some would call a down year for 2019. He suffered an oblique strain, causing him to miss part of the season. 

Despite this, Judge managed to play in 102 games and had a .272 batting average. He also hit 27 home runs and had 55 RBIs in his last season with the Yankees.

The former Yankee was an AL All-Star twice, a 2017 Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 2017 AL MVP Runner-Up. 

As an outfielder for the New York Mets, Judge will be joining Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil, along with offensive first baseman Pete Alonso.

The spring training suspension should give deGrom and Judge time to adjust to their teams. 

This trade is promising and should serve Judge well as he continues to recover from his injuries. Earlier in the year, he experienced discomfort in his shoulder. 

“What began as right shoulder soreness is now being described as discomfort in his right pectoral muscle. When he began ramping up his throwing and hitting last week, he reported feeling something awry near his chest,” according to the New York Times.

The former Mets ace is no stranger to significant injuries either, having undergone Tommy John surgery in 2010, long before he made his MLB debut in 2014. 

“DeGrom was still in the minor leagues and had ample time to recover and the surgery is part of the reason why he didn’t debut until he was 26-years-old,” mentions Elite Sports NY. 

Tommy John surgery is the reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow. It is named after retired professional baseball pitcher Tommy John, who underwent the procedure in 1974. 

It is often hard for pitchers to bounce back onto the field and reach the level of success they achieved prior to surgery. 

While the blockbuster trade is still being received by avid Mets and Yankees fans, the move will surely change the dynamics of the 2020 MLB season.