The Yankees made a surprising splash, trading for the slugging first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion leads the American League in home runs with 21, just ahead of his new teammate Gary Sanchez, but he was an unexpected grab for a team loaded with bats and in need of pitching.
Acquiring the 36-year-old may initially seem like a puzzling move, but it fits into the overall method that Brian Cashman first committed to by picking up Kendrys Morales. Morales was added as a primary DH that could also back up Luke Voit at first, and he got a consistent amount of playing time before heading to the IL on Thursday.