One of these things is not like the other...

 

 

Can you guess who it is??

That's right...it's TJ Rumfield, upper left! 

Rummy, aka, "The Man Who Might Have Won the 2024 World Series For Us," is headed for the All-Star Game in his first major-league season. He's currently hitting . 294 with an .860 OPS for Colorado, including 12 home runs and 31 extra-base hits. 

(And no, it's not just the elevation. Rummy is actually hitting for a higher average and more extra-bas hits OUTSIDE of Colorado.)

He's also an excellent defender, though of course that's something your New York Yankees don't care about.

Why is Rummy unlike the others?

Because the Yankees actually GOT something for him! 

That was, to be sure, merely Angel Chivilli, yet another of those dynamic young arms that we're always being told that Brian Cashman is stockpiling for us.

To be sure, Angel has thus far proven to be as elusive as a real angel. Or maybe the Scarlet Pimpernel:

Zey seek him here

Zey seek him there

Ze Yankee fans seek him everywhere

Is he in Scranton

Is he DL?

Zat damned elusive Angel...

But hey, prospect or not, Railriding or injury-listed, at least this Angel is a corporeal human being. It is at least conceivable that someday, somehow, he might contribute something to your New York Yankees.

Not so much with the others.

Luke Weaver, upper middle, is now on a 23-inning, 21-appearance streak without allowing a run. He has a 2.06 ERA. Yanks let him sign with their crosstown rival as a free agent.

Clay Holmes, upper right, was 4-4, 2.39 this year, before being injured by...a Yankee (Spencer Jones's greatest contribution as a Yank?). 

Holmes sure did run out of arm after chalking up 74 saves for us. But the Mets managed to convert him to a starter. He was 12-8, 3.53 last year, and he'll back, it is to be hoped.

Yanks let him sign with their crosstown rival as a free agent.

Luis Torrens, bottom right, the Mets' back-up catcher, has been pressed into service for much of this year and last, due to Francisco Alvarez's injuries. He's hitting a mere .214 on the season...but that's still nearly 60 points above what Yankee starter Austin Wells is doing. 

What's more, Torrens can field his position. He led the NL by throwing out 46.8 percent of baserunners last year, and is at over 40 percent this year. He is, in other words, what Well is not: a good-field, no-hit catcher. Beats a no-do-nothing-noodnik, every time.

How did they get him?  Let's hear it, with vigor:  

Yanks let him sign with their crosstown rival as a free agent.

As for Devin Williams, bottom left...I have to admit, I could not wait for him to be gone.  But you know, it seems evident that there were many teams willing to risk a player or two on him. 

I guess we'll never know for sure, though, because...yes:

Yanks let him sign with their crosstown rival as a free agent.

Who may well palm him off on another contender soon. For, you know, actual players.