Report Yankees Complete Deal For Another Most Wanted MLB Star
Robert Murray of FanSided writes that Garrett Cooper, a free agent, is attracting interest from the Yankees. The Red Sox released him, and he went on the open market a week ago.
Cooper is trying to find his third squad for the 2024 season. He signed a minor league contract and was added to the Cubs opening roster. Cooper played in 12 games for Chicago and put up a strong.270/.341/.432 line, but the Cubs designated him for assignment in April. The fact that he had struck out 13 times in his first 41 plate appearances clearly scared the front management. That suspicion appears to have been well-founded because Cooper appeared uneasy after being sold in a cash deal to the Red Sox.
The right-handed hitter’s batting line dropped to.171/.227/.229 over 24 games with Boston. In 75 trips to the bat, he only drew three walks and fanned 22 times. As soon as Boston welcomed back Masataka Yoshida off the injured list, they decided to remain with Dominic Smith over Cooper.
Cooper’s issue with whiffs has been getting worse; since the beginning of the previous season, he has struck out in 29.1% of his plate appearances. Over the span of 573 plate appearances across four organizations, he holds a.242/.297/.395 line. Prior to it, Cooper had been a successful middle-of-the-order bat for the Marlins. He hit.274/.350/.444 from 2019 to 22 and was selected for the ’22 All-Star Game.
Cooper was a Yankee once. When he was still in Triple-A in 2017, the Brewers traded him to New York. Before dealing him the next offseason, the Yankees called him up for 13 games in the latter part of the season. They traded Cooper and Caleb Smith to the Fish in exchange for then-prospect Michael King; the trade turned out to be a win-win situation for both sides in the end.
Anthony Rizzo injured his arm over the weekend in a collision at first base, sidelining him for at least two months for the Yanks. Ben Rice was called up following Rizzo’s injury. In his first three big league games, the 25-year-old has collected two hits and two walks.
Cooper was a Yankee in the past. While he was still in Triple-A, the Brewers traded him to New York in 2017. After making 13 appearances throughout the season, the Yankees brought him up and traded him the following offseason. In exchange for then-prospect Michael King, they traded Cooper and Caleb Smith to the Fish; initially, this worked out reasonably well for both clubs, but ultimately, things became more obviously in favor of New York.
After breaking his arm in a collision at first base over the weekend, Anthony Rizzo was out of the Yanks lineup for at least two months. Following Rizzo’s injury, they called up Ben Rice. The 25-year-old has participated in his first three major league games and has two singles and two walks.
