J.A. Happ has only been a New York Yankee for a few days, but the deal that brought him to the Bronx is already drawing a comparison to another deadline deal the team made some time ago. This deal was also with Happ’s former team, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the man acquired made his Yankees debut 23 years to the day of Happ making his first appearance in pinstripes.
The deal, of course, is the one that brought right-handed ace David Cone to New York on July 28, 1995. Much like the trade for Happ, the Yankees acquired Cone with the hope he could help close the gap between New York and the Boston Red Sox in a hot race for the AL East crown.