Former SF Giants lefty-killer acquired by Yankees as Aaron Judge backup plan

The SF Giants have not swung any big trade deadline deals as of yet, but a familiar face has been traded. The Chicago White Sox reportedly traded outfielder Austin Slater to the New York Yankees with Aaron Judge currently injured.

Slater was a Giant for many years and was at one point the longest-tenured player on the team. He played with the Giants from 2017 to 2024 and had some very solid seasons for the team, establishing himself as a potent threat against left-handed pitching.

Former SF Giants outfielder Austin Slater dealt to the New York Yankees

His best year with San Francisco probably came during the miracle 2021 season. That season he slashed .241/.320/.423 with 12 home runs and 32 runs batted in. He also had a penchant for clutch pinch-hit home runs that season.

Slater remained a solid player with the team until last season. He struggled to the tune of a .200/.330/.244 slash line with one homer and nine runs batted in. The Giants moved on from him by trading him to Cincinnatti and he eventually ended up in the thick of the AL East race by landing with the Baltimore Orioles later in the year.

He signed with the Chicago White Sox in the offseason and has had a decent year. He slashed .236/.299/.423 with five homers and 11 runs batted in 51 games. However, he does have an OPS of .859 against left-handed pitching this year which may have piqued New York's interest.

With Judge on the IL with an elbow injury, perhaps this move is meant to give the Yankees a short-term backup plan for Judge as well as little more depth in the outfield and a decent bench option in Slater who can pinch-hit against lefties late in games.

It is nice to see Slater get an opportunity like this. He is going from a team nowhere near the playoff conversation in the White Sox to a team that could potentially be a World Series contender in the Yankees.

If the Yankees end up having a rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series and Slater ends up hitting a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam against Tanner Scott in Game 7 then this trade could be one of the most popular amongst Giants fans in history.

Slater was never afraid to defend the city of San Francisco from unfair criticism and he was a very good Giant. Let's hope he has success in New York.

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