Yankees Bolster Roster with Austin Slater from the White Sox
The New York Yankees continue to strengthen their roster, acquiring outfielder Austin Slater from the White Sox. This acquisition comes at a crucial time, as the team is without its star, Aaron Judge, who is on the injured list.
In return, the White Sox will receive minor league pitcher Gage Ziehl.
Slater, batting .236, with five home runs and an OPS of .721 in 51 games this season, has proven productive against left-handed pitchers, batting .261, with an OPS of .859 and all five of his home runs coming from 77 at-bats against them.
The 32-year-old player, who missed more than a month between April and May due to a knee injury, signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with Chicago in November, making him a temporary acquisition for the Yankees before he becomes a free agent again this offseason.
Slater has started 15 games in right field, nine in left field, and one as a designated hitter this season. His arrival offers the Yankees greater coverage in case Judge, who is on the injured list with a strain, is unable to return to the outfield for the rest of the year.
The Yankees hope Judge returns in early August after his minimum 10-day absence to serve as a designated hitter and begin a throwing program with the goal of returning to right field this season.
Giancarlo Stanton, the team’s usual designated hitter, began training in right field this week to prepare for the possibility of playing in the field for the first time since 2023.
Slater also provides Yankees manager Aaron Boone with greater flexibility in the lineup and during games to counter left-handed pitchers, with a group of outfielders that tends to be left-handed. With Judge on the injured list, the Yankees do not have a primary right-handed outfielder on the active roster; Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger are left-handed, and Jasson Domínguez, a switch-hitter, has an OPS of .585 in 98 at-bats from the right side this season. Slater is expected to start over Domínguez against left-handed pitchers.
Rosario, a utility player acquired from the Washington Nationals on Saturday, gives Boone another option for right field, but is also slated to play second and third base.
Ziehl, 22, was selected in the fourth round by the Yankees last year. The right-handed pitcher has recorded a 4.15 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) across three levels this season, culminating with a start in Double-A.
In addition to Slater and Rosario, the Yankees have signed veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon in the last week. They are still looking for pitchers, both starters and relievers, before the deadline on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.
