The San Francisco Giants were interested in trading for Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller over the summer, but were unhappy with the Yankees’ asking price of second baseman Joe Panik. That request led the Yankees to shipping their two relievers elsewhere, and the Giants ultimately ended up a bit empty-handed on the reliever front.
What may be the most interesting part of the Yankees asking for Panik is what it signifies about their faith in Starlin Castro. It is no great mystery that Castro hasn’t been the best player, but he is a young piece who has been a very solid contributor at times.