In a weird way, the Yankees trading for a big name reliever at the deadline was both surprising and not surprising. It was surprising because the bullpen was a strength pretty much all season, even with some hiccups along the way. It was not surprising because the Yankees clearly value a deep bullpen, and adding to a strength is never a bad thing. Another reliever just didn’t seem to be a priority.
There was more to the Zach Britton trade that what met the eye, however. The bullpen was on shaky ground despite its overall effectiveness. Aroldis Chapman had pitched through a knee injury all season.