The Boston Red Sox's trade deadline did not go according to plan. Luis García, Lucas Sims and James Paxton all moved to the injured list quickly and Danny Jansen hasn't been the offensive boost the Sox needed.
Boston's biggest move of the deadline was one that didn't help the big league club at all. It sent No. 6 prospect and former first-round pick Nick Yorke to the Pittsburgh Pirates for another first-rounder, righty pitcher Quinn Priester.
After 40 games with Triple-A Indianapolis, Yorke has been called up to the big leagues, reported by Noah Hiles of Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The Pirates will begin a series against their National League Central rival Cardinals tonight in St. Louis, and Yorke is with the team.
The infielder posted a breakout season in the Sox's farm system. Yorke was promoted to Triple-A Worcester after he batted .251/.325/.366 over 45 games with the Double-A Sea Dogs. His offense improved after his boost to the next level, and Yorke slashed .310/.408/.490 with a .898 OPS with the WooSox over 38 games.
The Pirates call up former Red Sox top prospect Nick Yorke
Sources: The Pirates are promoting Nick Yorke to the big leagues. He is with the team in St. Louis. Yorke is rated the team’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) September 16, 2024
His bat got even hotter after his move to the Pirates organization. Yorke logged a .355/.431/.507 slash line, a .938 OPS, 17 doubles, two homers and 26 RBI with Triple-A Indianapolis.
The Red Sox traded Yorke before the 2024 trade deadline because he didn't have a clear path to a spot on the team. Boston's middle infield is packed, and trading Yorke, while his value was at its peak, seemed like the best idea for the team.
Two months later, the Sox are falling out of Wild Card contention without a consistent starter at second base. MLB careers are unpredictable and there's no telling how Yorke will fare in the big leagues, but he may have been a solid addition to the Red Sox's middle infield rotation during their postseason push.