Jose Trevino is either Brian Cashman's steal of the year, or the karmic fallout from Joey Gallo

Tuesday, it nearly slipped below the radar when Albert Abreu - aka "Double A" - signed with the Yankees, after being red-tagged by KC. It meant - for now, anyway - completion of another Cashman karmic cycle, which has helped propel the Death Barge to the summit of MLB... For now, anyway.

From this grand catbird perch, we can see the past unfurl like a Covid swab test instructions pamphlet, in unfathomable ways that - for now, anyway - have corked those relentlessly jarring sound-effects in the Tropicana Dome.

Abreu, now 26, came to NY in 2016, the year of the July garage sale, when the Yankees dealt Brian "Anger Management" McCann to Houston and fitted Gary Sanchez for his future plaque. Immediately, the YES machinery kicked in, promoting Abreu as a power arm, blahblahblah, hugged by prospect-rankers from Tampa to Trenton. 

McCann went on to torture us in the 2017 playoffs, two hurtful doubles, which may or may not have followed strategic bangs on a garbage can lid. (Even great deals have nuances, am I right?) Abreu slowly climbed the Yankee system and arrived last summer, showing flashes - a big stretch save - though his 5.15 ERA remained well north of Scott Proctor's career-ending self-immolations. 

This spring, Abreu hit a wall of younger arms - Clarke Schmidt, Ron Marinaccio, et al - and found himself on Cooperstown Cashman's list of expendables. This happened shortly after Ben Rortvedt - a catcher obtained from Minnesota in a deal for, who else? Gary Sanchez - started straining various sinews in his weight room-toned anatomy. "Benny Biceps" is currently in a rehab assignment in Tampa, 2 for 4 with a HR in two games. He's probably a month away, but he's a LH bat, age 24, with the Kiner-Falefa seal of approval. To bring him up would almost surely mean cutting Higgy, lovable Higgy, and I believe that I speak for the Yankiverse in saying, "Take your time, Benny." For now, anyway.

All of which is a convoluted way of getting to Jose Trevino, whom the Yankees obtained this spring in a seemingly inconsequential trade for Abreu. 

Last night, Trevino almost single-handedly beat Tampa (well, Aaron Judge's 2 HRs also deserve mention.) He picked off a runner at third in a critical moment (well, Josh Donaldson's crafty block of the base also deserves mention.) He homered in the eighth to win the game. The trade for Abreu now looks like one of Cashman's greatest heists, up there with El Chapo for Gleyber, another deal where the Yankees traded their cake and eventually ate it, too.

So, you'd think the Texas Rangers wouldn't answer the phone if Cashman calls, right? I mean, after such a ripoff, I half-expect the Texas to secede from MLB - isn't that trending down there? - and form their own league, maybe with some metropolises from Oklahoma. (For some reason, Muskogee comes to mind.) 

But I think the Rangers would answer the call. The Trevino deal was the second one the Yankees have made in the last year with Texas. The first, about 11 months ago, sent four prospects to the Rangers for Joey Gallo, the official whipping boy of IIHIIFIIc. 

I won't do another rant about Gallo. You've heard them all. Besides, last night, he drew two walks, (and fanned twice.) Let's just say that the four prospects we traded for him are still evolving, and Ezequiel Duran, a 23-year-old 3B, might be the one that makes Cashman cringe for the next 10 years.  

So, was Trevino a Cashmanic steal? Or Cashmanic karma? Take your pick. Either way, thank god we have Jose Trevino. And welcome home, Double A!