by The Yankees have often been connected in MLB trade rumors to Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ as the non-waiver deadline approaches on July 31, 2018 (7/31/18). Here’s what the Toronto lefty thinks about possibly being acquired by general manger Brian Cashman and pitching at Yankee Stadium.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ doesn’t know what’s going to happen before the trade deadline.
He also doesn’t hate pitching at Yankee Stadium. In fact, it sounds like he really enjoys it.
“That franchise, there’s so much behind it,” Happ said before Tuesday’s 2018 MLB All-Star Game at Nationals Park. “So many championships. There’s kind of an aura going into Yankee Stadium with all their history. So that’s always kind of a been in a lot of visitors minds going into that place. So that kind of makes it fun. You get up for that kind of thing. I’ve enjoyed pitching there.”
Would he want to play for the Yankees some day?
“Sure,” he said.
Of course, Happ wasn’t talking about right now. Might happen anyway, though.
The Yankees have been among the teams most often connected to Happ, a 35-year-old lefty who will be a free agent before season’s end and will almost definitely dealt by Toronto.
The Yankees need starting pitching, with every pitcher behind ace Luis Severino carrying question marks over his health (CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka) or effectiveness (Sonny Gray, Domingo German) or both.
Happ is 10-6 with a 4.29 ERA in 19 starts. The 12-year veteran has seen his strikeout rate rise this season to 10 per nine innings vs. his career average of 7.9. He’s also allowing 1.4 home runs a game — a big worry for a pitcher trying to make his living in bandbox Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees have also been connected to several other starting pitchers, including the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer and the Rangers’ Cole Hamels.
Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
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