Mark Leiter Jr. Traded To The Yankees
4 months agoChicago Cubs relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. is being traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for outfield prospect Benjamin Cowles (No. 29 on MLB Pipeline) and right-handed pitching prospect Jack Neely (No. 22). Leiter currently sits with a 4.21 ERA and 1.10 WHIP but boats stellar metrics that suggest he has gotten very unlucky through the first half of the summer. The 33-year-old carries a 34.9% strikeout rate and a 36.7% whiff rate, which places him in the top 98th percentile among all pitchers. In addition, he holds a 2.61 xERA and .197 xBA, which are among the best marks in the entire sport. While Clay Holmes is likely to continue to serve as the ninth-inning option in the Bronx, Leiter should immediately slot into a high-leverage role and should provide a high amount of holds during the final months of the season.
Source: Jeff Passan
Source: Jeff Passan