UPDATE (10:27 a.m. ET): Ken Rosenthal now is saying the Yankees and J.A. Happ are “close” on a deal but indicates it’s not done — yet.
Walking this back. Indications are #Yankees are close on Happ, but no agreement in place. https://t.co/FvR5bwUVDw
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 12, 2018
ESPN’s Buster Olney hears the same.
Yankees have interest in J.A. Happ, but sources saying that at this moment, there is no agreement with the lefty. We'll see if that changes.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 12, 2018
ORIGINAL STORY: The New York Yankees’ rotation on Opening Day 2019 is going to look much different than it did a year ago.
The Yankees on Wednesday agreed to terms on a three-year contract with free agent pitcher J.A. Happ, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported, citing sources.
New York, of course, is quite familiar with Happ’s work. The Yankees acquired the left-hander from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 26, and he pitched incredibly well down the stretch. Happ went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts with New York, striking out nine batters per nine innings. Coincidentally, Happ’s only loss in pinstripes came in Game 1 of the American League Division Series when the Boston Red Sox torched him for five earned runs in just two-plus innings.
Prior to that stinker at Fenway Park, the 36-year-old had posted strong numbers against the Yankees’ biggest rivals. Happ owns a 2.98 ERA in 21 career appearances against the Red Sox, and he’s 5-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 10 career (regular-season) appearances at Fenway.
