Yankees acquire A.J. Cole from Nationals

Following last night's 14-1 win over the Minnesota Twins, the New York Yankees announced they acquired RHP A.J. Cole in exchange for cash considerations. Cole will be added to the 25-man roster effective immediately.

TRADE: The Yankees have acquired RHP A.J. Cole from the Nationals in exchange for cash considerations. Cole has been added to the 40-man roster and will be added to the 25-man roster. RHP David Hale was designated for assignment.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) April 24, 2018

As a corresponding move, the Yankees designated RHP David Hale for assignment. Hale made his Yankees debut last night pitching two scoreless innings, and will likely accept an outright assignment to Triple-A. Cole was designated for assignment on April 21 after accumulating a 13.06 ERA (15 runs) in 10.1 innings. Cole was expected to be the favorite for the Nationals fifth starter spot after going 3-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 52 innings during the 2017 campaign. But after a subpar Spring Training and an awful start to the season, it was quite clear the Nationals had seen enough. It's more likely than not the Yankees will place Cole in the bullpen. However, Cole is out of minor league options, so the Yankees can't simply option him if they need another reliever. Let's hope he gives the Yankees a reason to stay.