Yankees Pull Off Trade For Corner Infielder With Injuries Mounting

Recent injuries caused holes in the lineup for the New York Yankees and forced them to hit the trade market to fill them up.

The Yankees pulled off a trade Sunday, acquiring corner infielder J.D. Davis from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for cash and minor leaguer Jordan Groshans.

Davis played 39 games for the Athletics this season and hit .236 with four home runs and five RBIs before being designated for assignment this past Tuesday. The 31-year-old, who also played for the Houston Astros, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants in his eight-year MLB career, suited up for 24 games at first base for the Athletics and 14 contests at third base this season.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday the plan for Davis is to use him in a platoon role at first base, per the Associated Press. New York just called up Cohasset, Mass. native Ben Rice, who also plays first base, last week as well.

The Yankees were put into this predicament to acquire Davis after injuries to Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton. Rizzo fractured his right forearm last Sunday at Fenway Park after he collided with Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino while trying to beat out a grounder. Rizzo is expected to miss at least eight weeks.

Stanton was placed on the injured list Sunday after he suffered a left hamstring strain in Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves.

The Yankees are in a little bit of a slide at the moment having lost six out of their last eight games, but still own the top spot in the American League with the Baltimore Orioles right behind them and the Boston Red Sox surging.