Nope, this won't be deja vu folks. Number 10 on our list happens to be between the same two teams we just discussed in #11. Today we talk about San Fransisco and New York again, this time in reference to one of FCM's most underrated performers: Blake Beavan. Only this time, it wasn't a collection of prospects on the move for him, it was another familiar face: Brett Gardner.
In November of 2014, following a run to the World Series the Yankees saw a declining CC Sabathia and a combination of mediocrity in Jeff Marquez and Chris Carpenter and felt the need to dramatically upgrade their rotation. Brett Gardner was 31 and an impending free agent. San Fransisco lacked a true lead-off hitter in front of Wellington Castillo and Thomas Neal. With Edgar Vaio, Jeff Boulon, Alex Torres, and Tim Lincecum in the fold, they felt they had a SP to move.
The result was a simple one for one swap following the 2014 season. New York sent Brett Gardner, fresh off an injury plagued season in which he managed only 258 ABs, 1 homerun, and 17 stolen bases . They received, in turn, Blake Beavan coming off of a 17-11 season with a 3.69 ERA 213 strikeout season.
The impact to both teams is where this trade earns its standing. Brett Gardner had three seasons with the Giants with nearly 1500 at-bats. He had 17 home runs, 141 rbi, 113 stolen bases, 302 runs scored, and an OPS over .750 in each of the three seasons. In 2017 he was moved to Tampa Bay with Asdrubal Cabrera for Matt Rathburn, Justin Lavin, Lloyd Vankirk, Jeremy Twitty, and Manny Mario. Rathburn has had a successful career largely with Arizona. Vankirk was a near MVP later for the White Sox. Lavin, Mario, and Twitty have spun their wheels in mediocre careers. Overall, not a bad haul for the Giants, but little to know impact on the team. Gardner's presence with the Giants also never put them over the top, instead languishing there for a few years before bouncing around to several other teams.
Blake Beavan, on the other hand, went on to a wildly successful career with the Yankees. In 9+ seasons he recorded a record of 139-58 with a high ERA of 3.41 and 5 consecutive seasons of sub 3.00. His 1600 strikeouts compared to only 200 walks is nothing short of astounding. He never pitched less than 175 innings in his 9 seasons, made 7 all-star games, and won a World Championship in 2020. Blake is unquestionably one of FCM's all-time greats and his presence in the Yankee rotation every year, his career 3.07 postseason ERA, and his clutch performances make him a legend. He managed to secure the World Series MVP in both appearances - going 1-0 with a .64 ERA and 17 strikeouts in two starts allowing a mere 6 hits. His dominance helped secure a World Title and routine playoff appearances.
Without him, there is no question the Yankees last championship run is 2014. He was the consistent, non-flashy workhouse that was the glue of FCM's greatest rotation. His brilliance was never as hyped as Lincecum or even Kershaw, but he was the pitcher his rivals least liked to face. His underrated brilliance helped support the Yankees for nearly a decade and without this trade who knows how his career would have taken him.
Next Up: FCM's 9th Most Impactful Trade: "Crown the King"
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