NEW YORK — Andrew Benintendi has landed with the Yankees, a team suddenly in need of an offensive spark – plus a little more pitching – prior to Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge agreed that Benintendi’s acquisition form the Kansas City Royals – in exchange for three minor league pitchers – would provide a spark, “especially when you add a guy like that, hitting over .300 all year and playing great defense.”
Not long after the Yankees were swept in the two-game Subway Series, Queens edition, with a 3-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field, the Yanks announced the deal for the lefty-hitting outfielder.
Right away, Benintendi will get to play against his old team; the Royals arrive at Yankee Stadium for a four-game set beginning Thursday night.
None of the three pitchers going to Kansas City – Chandler Champlain, Beck Way and TJ Sikkema – ranked higher than 19th on the Yanks’ prospect list, as rated by MLB.com.
Sikkema, a lefty, is No. 19, and the right-handed Way is No. 21.
BUY OR SELL? Five struggling MLB teams stuck in the middle as trade deadline approaches
MLB TRADE DEADLINE:Nationals GM is in talks with ‘several teams’ about Juan Soto deal
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:Stay up to date with our sports newsletter
A free agent at season’s end, Benintendi, 28, is hitting .320 this season along with a .387 on-base percentage, but just three homers in 92 games.
“It will definitely be a big piece to what we have going on here,” Judge said of Benintendi, a member…
