Yankees Make Trade, Acquire Right-Handed Reliever from Chicago Cubs

The New York Yankees swung a trade for pitching help Tuesday afternoon. With less than five hours to spare before the MLB trade deadline, they acquired right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs, according to multiple reports.

The return going to Chicago is not yet known.

Leiter, 33, wasn’t the highest-profile name on this year’s trade market but he has emerged as a reliable, high-leverage reliever on a Cubs team that finds itself in the position of light sellers.

The Yankees have endured their share of bullpen injuries this year. Ian Hamilton, Jonathan Loaisiga, Lou Trivino, and Nick Burdi — all right-handed relievers — are currently listed on the Yankees’ IL. Loaisiga is out for the season, recovering from elbow surgery.

Rookie right-hander Yoendrys Gomez is currently the last line of defense in the Yankees’ bullpen. Leiter offers a veteran presence and the ability to pitch critical innings as the Yankees make their push for the postseason.

At 63-45, the Yankees are half a game behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the American League East. The Cubs are 51-57 and six games behind the third and final Wild Card berth in the National League. They aren’t completely out of the race and have already made a couple of interesting acquisitions in the days leading up to the deadline.

On Sunday, the Cubs acquired infielder Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays for Christopher Morel and two prospects. Saturday, they got Nate Pearson from the Toronto Blue Jays for a pair of prospects.

With Leiter — one of their better relievers — being traded to an American League contender, it isn’t obvious which direction the Cubs are leaning. However, they could be hedging against a total sell-off with an eye toward contending again in 2025.

Leiter, 33, is the son of Mark Leiter and the nephew of Al Leiter — both of whom pitched for the Yankees during their careers. He’s 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 39 games this season, but a closer look at his numbers reveals why the Yankees were interested.

Since the calendar turned to July, Leiter has thrown 7.1 scoreless innings without allowing a hit or a walk and striking out 14 batters. That high strikeout rate is particularly appealing to contending teams gearing up for October when missing bats come at a premium.

The Yankees might not be done, but adding Leiter as a complimentary piece to their bullpen is the kind of marginal upgrade that could pay large dividends down the road.