Yankees bolster outfield, acquire
veteran Austin Slater from the White Sox
[July 31, 2025]
By JAY COHEN
CHICAGO (AP) — Austin Slater is heading to the New York Yankees,
giving them another right-handed bat they can plug into a part-time
role down the stretch.
The active Yankees acquired the veteran outfielder from the Chicago
White Sox on Wednesday in exchange for minor league pitching
prospect Gage Ziehl.
New York had a pressing need to bolster its outfield ranks with star
slugger Aaron Judge sidelined by a flexor strain in his right elbow.
“Really excited about the move," manager Aaron Boone said before
Wednesday night's game against Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium. “Talked
about it over the recent weeks — just getting more roster
flexibility, complementary guys.”
Boone initially said Slater was traveling from Chicago to New York
and there was an “outside chance” he would arrive in time to be
active Wednesday night. But a little more than an hour before first
pitch, the Yankees added Slater to their 26-man roster and optioned
backup catcher J.C. Escarra to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The 32-year-old Slater hit .236 with five homers and 11 RBIs in 51
games with the White Sox this season. He has an .859 OPS against
left-handed pitching.
“Really enjoyed my time here and met some incredible people," Slater
said. “Super fun clubhouse to be in. But then also really excited to
go play for the Yankees. One of those teams as a kid you always
dream about playing for. And they are right in a race for the
playoffs. Excited to go there and try to help them out.”
New York began the day four games behind first-place Toronto in the
AL East.
The well-traveled Slater can play all three outfield positions. He
spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career with San Francisco
before being traded to Cincinnati last summer. New York will be
Slater's fifth team in just over a year.
“At this point, we’re a little more prepared than we were last
year,” Slater said. “It was something, there was always writing on
the wall that it could happen. That maybe helped us mentally prepare
a little bit more this year.”
The Yankees will assume $573,925 of Slater's remaining $1.75 million
salary, which also will increase their luxury tax by about $631,000.
The trade is the latest in what has been a busy run-up to Thursday's
deadline for New York. The team acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon
from Colorado and infielder Amed Rosario from Washington within the
last week.
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“Bringing in obviously McMahon first to be the
primary third (baseman), but then Rosario and Slater who both really
hit left-handed pitching really well. You see our lineup tonight,
it’s lefty heavy and we have a lot of lefty players, so you have
some real complementary pieces for different situations that make
you more of a threat as the game moves through,” Boone said.
"And he’s swinging the bat really well right now. So, really excited
to get him.”
In his first professional season, the 22-year-old Ziehl was 5-4 with
a 4.15 ERA in 15 starts and one relief appearance this year with
Class-A Tampa, High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset combined.
He was selected by the Yankees in the fourth round of the 2024
amateur draft out of Miami.
The last-place White Sox scratched right-hander Adrian Houser from
his scheduled start Wednesday against Philadelphia. But center
fielder Luis Robert Jr. — another player who could be on the move
ahead of the deadline — was in the lineup.
The 32-year-old Houser has been a pleasant surprise for Chicago
after signing a $1.35 million, one-year contract on May 20. He is
6-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 11 starts.
“Just with Houser, we were transparent with him, just the market
around him and the potential for a trade," White Sox manager Will
Venable said of the pitching change. "Just thought it was in
everyone’s best interest to switch starters today.”
The White Sox also recalled outfielder Will Robertson from Triple-A
Charlotte before their series finale against the Phillies.
___
AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York contributed to this
report.
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