Since he’s been toiling away in Seattle, who’ve cratered since a hot start to the season, it might have been easy to miss that it’s Edwin Encarnacion who is leading the American League in homers at 21.
And now he’s joining a team that pretty much hits all the homers already:
Edwin Encarnación has been traded from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Encarnación currently leads the American League with 21 home runs. The Mariners’ teardown is in full bloom and the Yankees get another big bat.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 16, 2019
Hear Juan Then, a young pitching prospect is going from #Yankee to #Mariners for Encarnacion
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) June 16, 2019
Although we NL Central-dwellers don’t necessarily care too much about the goings on in the AL East, it’s wild to see such a significant trade happening in mid-June. Yes, it sometimes does happen. But it’s been very rare, historically speaking, and it makes me immediately wonder about the impact of the unified Trade Deadline, as we’ve discussed. With every trade now having to take place by July 31, is it possible everything will be moved up?
Or are we just seeing a situation where a VERY KNOWN seller is dealing with a VERY KNOWN buyer in a league where almost all of the playoff teams are set?
Stay tuned.