Report: Yankees players still shocked by 1 move team made

Mar 14, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with media during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are a World Series contender and were regarded as “buyers” at the non-waiver trade deadline earlier this month. That’s why it was so surprising to see the team trade one of its top pitchers.

The Yankees traded pitcher Jordan Montgomery to the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 2 for Harrison Bader. Bader has been out with a foot injury, while Montgomery has merely gone 4-0 with a 0.35 ERA in four starts for the Cardinals.

On Monday night, Montgomery threw a complete game 1-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over the Cubs.

Newsday’s Anthony Rieber tweeted that many Yankees pitchers watched the end of the Cardinals game on TV. Rieber added that the Montgomery trade was and remains a “shock” to Yankees players.

Many Yankees pitchers watched the final out as the game was on TV in the clubhouse. They were very, very happy for Montgomery. His trade to STL was and still is a shock to his former teammates. https://t.co/sZzPSkC8el

— Anthony Rieber (@AnthonyRieber) August 23, 2022

It’s not hard to see why.

Montgomery wasn’t pitching like a Cy Young Award winner with the Yankees, but he was 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA and extremely reliable. Not only was it surprising to see a playoff team trade away one of its rotation members, but Bader was (and still is) recovering from a foot injury at the time.

Yankees executive Brian Cashman may be kicking himself for a while over this deal, especially as the Yankees have faltered in August.