Yankees Acquire Nady, Marte

According to multiple media outlets, the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates have struck a deal that will send Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to New York in return for Jose Tabata, Phil Coke, Ross Ohlendorf and George Kontos. Jose Tabata, who turns just 20 in a few weeks, comes over as the centerpiece; the young outfielder was ranked as the 48th best prospect in all of baseball by Baseball Prospectus. In what appears now to be a great deal for the Yankees, they were able to land a left-handed reliever to bolster their pen and add nice bat for a relatively low price. Of course, how we evaluate this deal looking back will depend heavily on Tabata’s development over the years, especially if the Yankees aren’t able to make the playoffs this year. As of the present though, the Yankees got an unbelievable deal considering what the Pirates had been reportedly asking for Xavier Nady alone.

UPDATE: Dan McCutchen, Jeff Karstens, both right handed pitchers, will replace Kontos and Phil Coke in the deal. Karstens started last year as the Yankees fifth starter before breaking his leg off of a Julio Lugo line drive. In two stints in the majors he’s struggled mightily, but still remains a likely candidate to join the back end of the Bucs’ rotation.

While we’re talking trades, the Dodgers have made a trade for Casey Blake. The Indians received righty Jon Meloan, catcher Carlos Santana and cash in exchange.