Yankees trade outfielder (who got a World Series ring) to rival

The New York Yankees made a roster move Monday, but it was not the one fans wanted to hear about.

They traded outfielder Taylor Trammell, whom they just added to their 40-man roster, to the Houston Astros, their rival in the AL West, for cash, according to The New York Post’s Joel Sherman.

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RESTORING THE GLORY

Trammell, 27, spent most of the 2024 season with the Yankees’ Triple-A team, though because also spent (limited) time on the major-league rosters of the Yankees and Dodgers, he got a World Series ring for his contributions when Los Angeles won its eighth title.

The former first-round pick played five games with the Dodgers from April 5-15 where he went 0 for 6 with three strikeouts and then made five appearances with the Yankees from April 20-May 3, going 1 for 2 with two runs and a walk.

“I get a ring now and that’s such a cool thing to say. For me, this is so awesome because I can say I’m a World Series champion now,” Trammell told The Athletic in a piece that explored players who got rings after short stints on rosters.

“The next step is to be a World Series champion, and being there when it’s won. That’s the next goal.”

The former top prospect has been traded twice in his career — first from the Reds to the San Diego Padres in July 2019 and then from the Paders to the Seattle Mariners in August 2020. He was also waived twice this season landing with the Dodgers and then the Yankees on April 18.

Trammell played 106 games with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he batted .256/.381/.488 with 18 home runs, 63 RBIs and 20 steals. That‘s kind of been the story of his professional career: solid minor-league numbers but major-league production (career 79 OPS+ in 359 plate appearances) that doesn’t cut it.

As Trammell joins his sixth organization, he’s likely to fill another role at the top of the minor leagues with chances to crack the big-league lineup when the need arises.

Meanwhile, Yankees fans await the news on Gerrit Cole’s contract, which has a 5 p.m. ET deadline to be resolved or he will become a free agent.