MLB trade rumors: Yankees' Wild Card rival gets stronger

by Felix Pantaleón

The Yankees’ Wild Card rival Oakland A’s got strongers on Thursday, August 9, 2018 (8/9/18), trading with the Minnesota Twins to acquire closer Fernando Rodney.

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Memo to the Yankees:

Don’t look behind you.

Out of nowhere, the Athletics — the Yankees’ main Wild Card rival — traded with the Twins on Thursday. News broke while the Yankees were in the process of beating the Rangers, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium.

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Oakland acquired closer Fernando Rodney in exchange for minor-league right-hander Dakota Chalmers, the A’s announced.

The Yankees are 4 1/2 games up on the A’s for the first Wild Card spot.

And the Mariners are 2 1/2 games behind Oakland.

Rodney, 41, had a 3.09 ERA and 25 saves in 46 games and 43 2/3 innings for Minnesota. The A’s will be Rodney’s 10th team in his career.

Here are some Yankees notes following Thursday’s win:

The Yankees won the opener of their season-long 11-game homestand…extended their winning streak to four games, their longest since winning four straight from 6/18-21…are 30G over .500, 1G below their season high watermark (31G over .500 at 68-37 at the end of play on 7/31).

* Are 39-16 (.709) at Yankee Stadium in 2018, the second-best home record in the Majors, behind Boston (42-15, .737)…are 34-11 in 45 home games since 4/21.

* Have won six consecutive games vs. the AL West (all at home, since 5/29)…are 17-6 vs. AL West teams this season (10-3 at home, 7-3 on the road)…are 2-2 vs. Texas.

* Yankees batters hit 5HR, their fourth game this season with at least 5HR, second against the Rangers (6HR on 7/1 vs. Boston; 5HR on 5/19 at Kansas City and 5HR on 5/21 at Texas)…have hit multiple HRs in each of their last four games (11HR total)…all five XBHs tonight were home runs…went 1- for-1 with RISP.

* Andujar and Walker hit the seventh set of back-to-back HRs by the Yankees this season in the fourth inning.

* Have hit a Major League-leading 186HR…are on pace to hit 264HR (the MLB record is 264HR by Seattle in 1997).

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.