Even after acquiring right-handed infielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals earlier this week, the New York Yankees were still searching for a right-handed-hitting outfielder to bolster their depth.
On Wednesday morning, the Yankees acquired corner outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox for minor-league right-hander Gage Ziehl. Slater will be a free agent at season’s end after signing a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the White Sox last offseason.
The Yankees needed a righty outfielder because Trent Grisham and Jasson Domínguez have struggled against left-handed pitching this season. Combined, the pair has hit .195/.299/.299 versus lefties in 2025. Slater has hit .261/.338/.522 with five home runs in 69 at-bats against lefties this season.
Adding another right-handed bat made sense for the Yankees as they look ahead to October, where they could face Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox and Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros.
Ziehl had a 4.15 ERA across 16 appearances for Low-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley this season. A fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft, Ziehl was not among Keith Law’s top 20 Yankees prospects entering this season.
The addition of Slater signals that the Yankees may lean into platoon splits, something that manager Aaron Boone hasn’t always done in his tenure. When a lefty starter is on the mound, expect both Slater and Rosario to be in the lineup.
The Yankees now have a bit of a roster crunch on the position player side. That should be noted as they are still active in the reliever and starter markets.
Trade Grades
- Yankees: A-
- White Sox: A-