Clearing the waivers makes Brian McCann available for trade, but the New York Yankees right now aren’t getting too much interest. Some from the Atlanta Braves, a bit from the Texas Rangers, but that’s about it.
The Braves actually held talks with the Yankees over their former catcher, planning on bringing him back to Atlanta before the deadline, but nothing materialized. The Rangers held the same talks with the Yankees, but eventually they went with Jonathan Lucroy, which means the chances of them landing McCann or even making a move for him, unless the price is close to nothing, are very small. McCann played very little DH and first base this season.
McCann has $34 million guaranteed for the next two seasons, and his 2019 $15 million team option is vested if he totals 1,000 PAs from 2017-18, catches 90 games in 2018 and is not on the disabled list at the end of the 2018 season. He had a total of 1073 plate appearances during his first two years with the Yankees, and after 89 games this season, is at 349. Since joining the Yankees in 2014, he’s batting .232 with a .728 OPS, hitting 64 home runs, including 15 this season.
This is well below his numbers with the Braves. A 7-time All-Star with the Braves and five-time Silver Slugger, McCann batted .277 with a .823 OPS. He hit 176 home runs in 9 seasons with the Braves. At least in that aspect, he hasn’t declined for the Yankees. He did win the silver slugger award last season for the sixth time in his career, and even received some MVP votes, finishing 24th in the American League. He has a career OPS of .800, and per 162 games hits 26 home runs.
A good defensive player, the Braves might instead decide to stick with Tyler Flowers, or another player. Flowers, 30, is out since breaking his hand in July, signing with the Braves back in December, making 198 plate appearances in 53 games before his injury. He batted a .253 with a .769 OPS, hitting 7 home runs, in the short time he’s been with the team. He’s signed through next season, with a $4 million team option on 2018.