The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been trying to unload Vernon Wells and his contract for quite some time now, and they finally found a trade partner in the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have been hit with multiple injuries to key players over the last month, and Wells will slot into a starting outfield spot until Curtis Granderson comes back from a fractured right forearm.
With Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira sidelined heading into Opening Day, Brian Cashman needed to infuse some cheap power into the lineup. Wells does come with a little baggage, as he has two years and $42 million left on his current contract, so this will not be a two-month rental for the Yanks; it will be a two-year investment.
Bryan Hoch of MLB.com explained New York had money to invest in Wells because of Teixeira’s injury; the World Baseball Classic will be paying injured player’s salaries while they’re not able to play regular season games for their respective teams. So, the Yanks are saving $4 million per month (that’s a nice salary for ya) on their first baseman while he’s on the shelf, and have agreed to pay the majority of Wells’ salary this year to help the Angels get under the $178 million luxury tax threshold. In return, the Angels will assume the majority of his salary next season to help New York try and get under the $189 million limit.
So, the big question will be, can Vernon Wells make this trade worth it to the Bronx Bombers? His two years on the West Coast weren’t exactly good ones; after struggling through 2011 as a starter, he dealt with a reserve role and some injuries last season. During his tenure with the Angels, he compiled an uninspiring .222/.258/.409 line with 36 homers and 95 RBI in 748 at-bats, while earning close to $50 million.
Entering his age-34 season, the Yanks are hoping for a revival, and they may be able to watch it happen in the Bronx. Wells has put together his best Spring Training in recent memory, hitting .361/.390/.722 with 4 homers and 11 RBI in only 36 at-bats. I know spring statistics don’t mean much, but when someone has struggled as much as he has, they become important as talent evaluators figure out his value. He’s been a starter for the majority of his career, so being put into that role once again should help him get into some sort of rhythm. Plus, returning to his stomping grounds of the AL East, combined with the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium, could be a recipe for success.
According to Baseball Reference, Los Angeles will contribute $8 million to Wells’ $21 million salary this season, and pay all but $1 million of the $21 million he’s owed in 2014. With the Angels picking up most of the tab, it makes sense for the Yankees to take a flyer on him, but it would have made more sense to me if Granderson had to miss at least half the season. He should be returning to the lineup sometime in May, and that will make Wells an expensive role player this season.
I was talking to a friend (a big Yankee fan) about this situation the other day, and he said he’d rather see New York give some minor leaguers a chance to play instead of going out and making a deal for a player that’s proven, but appears to be past their prime. The Blue Jays made some huge moves this winter, but the AL East will still be up for grabs this season, and all the Yankees may need to do is tread water around the .500 until they get back to full strength sometime in June (not counting A-Rod).
Of course, none of that is guaranteed, especially when you plug in unproven minor leaguers for a month or two. However, bringing in someone with a big name is not a guarantee either. We’ll see how the gamble plays out over the first month or two of the season, but the real test will be how Joe Girardi decides to use Wells to keep him fresh once the Grandy Man returns, especially if Travis Hafner bounces back and solidifies himself as the team’s everyday designated hitter.
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