Yankees Acquire Shortstop Didi Gregorius from Arizona in Three-Team Trade
Detroit Acquires RHP Shane Greene from the Yankees; Arizona Acquires LHP Robbie Ray and INF Domingo Leyba from Detroit
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired shortstop Didi Gregorius from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-team trade that also involves the Detroit Tigers. Right-handed pitcher Shane Greene was traded from the Yankees to the Tigers, while the Diamondbacks received left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray and minor league infielder Domingo Leyba from the Tigers.
Gregorius, 24, hit .226 (61-for-270) with 35 runs scored, nine doubles, five triples, six home runs and 27 RBI over 80 games in two stints with the Diamondbacks in 2014. The left-handed hitter finished the season with a .327 (16-for-49) batting average over his final 13 games, tying a single-game club record with three doubles on September 22 at Minnesota. Gregorius also played in 57 games with Triple-A Reno in 2014, batting .310 (70-for-226) with 42 runs scored, 14 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 25 RBI, 24 walks and a .389 on-base percentage.
Originally signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a non-drafted free agent in 2007, Gregorius has combined to hit .243 (157-for-647) with 13 home runs, 25 doubles, eight triples and 57 RBI in 191 games over parts of three Major League seasons with the Reds (2012) and Diamondbacks (2013-14).
Born in Amsterdam and raised primarily in Curacao, Gregorius has played 173 career Major League games at shortstop, including 167 starts. In 2014, he played his first Major League games at other positions, appearing in 11G (7GS) at second base and 2G (1GS) at third base. Following the 2012 season, Gregorius was named by Baseball America as the "Best Defensive Infielder" in the Diamondbacks system, an honor he previously earned with the Reds following the 2011 season.
Greene, 26, was selected by the Yankees in the 15th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft and made his Major League debut in 2014, going 5-4 with a 3.78 ERA (78.2IP, 33ER) in 15 appearances (14 starts) over four stints with the club. In parts of six minor league seasons, Greene posted a 29-43 record with a 4.39 ERA (562.1IP, 609H, 274ER, 222BB, 509K, 31HR) in 120 games, including 103 starts.