There’s no way to avoid it: the Yankees sending enlightener Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox, their arch-enemy, is a paycheck.
For the Yankees, the usefulness of the trade is clear. They open a space on the 40-man list and drop about $ 8 million in salary in a year in which they are clearly trying to stay below the $ 210 million tax threshold. With Ottavino’s 2021 salary in the book, the Yankees are still shy about the $ 4 million tax threshold per Associated Press. They could use a left-handed bat, and perhaps Brett Gardner, an easy-going, well-known presence, is next in line to be re-signed for a reunion. Maybe they use the money to add another stable piece to the starting rotation. Maybe they use it to get some relief to replace Ottavino.
Overall, the trade looks pretty skewed. The Yankees receive a player to be named later or ‘cash considerations’ from the Red Sox while they Ottavino and right-handed …