The New York Yankees have added one of the season's biggest breakout power hitters. The Yankees and Washington Nationals have agreed to a trade sending first baseman Luis García Jr. to the Bronx, reports ESPN. Neither team has announced the trade.
Four players, all right-handed pitchers, are headed back to Washington, per The Athletic: Ben Grable, Yovanny Cruz, Jack Cebert and Jake Bird. Cebert, 24, was New York's 15th-round pick last season. A reliever at Texas Tech, the Yankees moved him into the rotation this year and expanded his arsenal. He has a 4.03 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 82 ⅔ innings this year and has reached Double-A. The other three are relievers.
García, 26 and a New York native, has slugged a career-high 24 home runs this season, including 18 in his last 47 games. He will remain under team control in 2027. García moved to first base this year and the Yankees are set there with Ben Rice, though the DH spot is wide open with Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton all on the injured list.
Since June 1, the Yankees have averaged only 3.94 runs per game, one of the lowest rates in baseball. Their offense has struggled badly with Judge out and García will bring Yankee Stadium-friendly left-handed power to a lineup that needs all the help it can get.
The Nationals held García out of Sunday's lineup ahead of Monday's trade deadline.
CBS Sports will have more on this story shortly.
