Brian Cashman all but guaranteed in November Sonny Gray would not be back with the Yankees in 2019, indicating in some blunt remarks he had concluded the right-hander would never cut it in New York.
The GM finally made good on that over the weekend, reaching a deal with the Reds that sent Gray to Cincinnati in exchange for second-base prospect Shed Long and a compensatory draft pick. The Yankees then flipped Long on Monday afternoon to the Mariners for minor-league outfielder Josh Stowers, who finished 2018 with short-season Everett of the Northwest League. Stowers, 21, was a second-round pick of the Mariners last year.
The Reds also received lefty Reiver Sanmartin, who finished last season with the Yankees' High-A Tampa team, in the deal.
