The New York Yankees have emerged as true contenders so far this season, currently sitting at an impressive 62-26 mark. That’s far and away MLB’s best record.
It has been a near-perfect year thus far for the Yankees. But it appears that they aren’t done filling out their roster as they make a push towards the playoffs.
On Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN and Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported that the Yankees have agreed to a trade with the Los Angeles Angels to bring in Angels shortstop Tyler Wade. In return, they’ll send the Angels a player to be named later.
The New York Yankees are acquiring utilityman Tyler Wade in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.
The Angels DFA'd Wade earlier this month. And now he heads back to the team that drafted him and where he spent his first five seasons.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 14, 2022
#Yankees are acquiring Tyler Wade as @JeffPassan reported. For player to be named. He’s going to AAA
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 14, 2022
It will be a reunion between Wade (seen above tagging Yankees’ shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa in a June 2 game) and the Yankees, who selected Wade in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft.
Wade first played for the Yankees’ major-league team in 2017, and split time between their minor league system and the majors from 2017-2021. He served as a utility man who played in both the outfield and the infield for them.
Things did not go to plan between Wade and the Angels this season. He only hit .218/.272/.272 in 67 major-league games with the organization.
The Yankees will hope that he can return to his 2021 numbers. There, he hit a much more respectable .268/.354/.323 while also stealing 17 bases.
For the time being, it doesn’t seem like there will be a place for Wade to get everyday at-bats for the Yankees. But he will at least provide the team with a reliable commodity that they are familiar with should they deal with some injuries down the stretch of the season.
[Jeff Passan and Joel Sherman on Twitter; photo from Brad Penner/USA Today Sports]
