The Yankees have acquired minor-league pitcher Michael Arias from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations

Arias, who’s 23, hasn’t pitched in the big leagues yet. Last year, he had a 4.77 ERA in 49 relief appearances for the Cubs’ Double-A and Triple-A teams. He struck out 72 batters over 60.1 innings, which isn’t too shabby.
He’s got a fastball that hits the mid-to-upper 90s, a decent changeup, and a slider that still needs some work. MLB Pipeline had him ranked as the Cubs’ No. 18 prospect. The Cubs had to make room on their 40-man roster for a new pitcher, so they designated Arias for assignment.
Now, he’s on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, which is currently at 38 players. Back in 2022, Arias was a full-time starter and had a 4.09 ERA with 110 strikeouts over 81.1 innings. Overall, he has a 4.25 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 182 innings across four minor-league seasons.
He started his career with the Toronto Blue Jays after going undrafted in 2018 but was released two years later. He then joined the Cubs before the 2021 season. This is the second trade between the Yankees and Cubs this offseason, as they previously swapped Cody Bellinger for Cody Poteet.
On another note, two exciting Yankees games are set for primetime on ESPN. They’ll air the May 18 game against the Mets and the June 1 game against the Dodgers. The May game wraps up a series with the Mets, who recently signed Juan Soto. The June game is a rematch of the 2024 World Series, which the Dodgers won. ESPN will also show the Yankees’ Opening Day game against the Brewers on March 27.