Yankees Make Bold Move With Former Rockies Star After Brutal Start to Tenure

A former Colorado Rockies star has not gotten off to the kind of start he was hoping for with the New York Yankees.

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The Colorado Rockies surprised some people with how they handled the MLB trade deadline this year, finally operating like a team that needs to rebuild.

Too often in the past, they would hold onto players for too long, sapping them of any value they may have previously had to be flipped on the trade market.

This year, that was not the case, with the Rockies being recognized as deadline winners by some analysts and fans in the baseball world.

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Their deals look even better now, especially the one that included relief pitcher Jake Bird, being sent to the New York Yankees.

Bird’s name has been popping up in trade rumors for weeks after he got off to an incredible start in the 2025 campaign as one of the best middle relievers in baseball.

In an effort to upgrade their bullpen, the New York Yankees made a second trade with Colorado, acquiring the right-handed pitcher after they had swung a deal for third baseman Ryan McMahon a few days earlier.

In exchange for Bird, the Yankees sent the Rockies two prospects: infielder Roc Riggio and right-handed pitcher Ben Shields.

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Riggio was the No. 10 ranked prospect in the New York system. Shields, who is older for someone only two years out of college, pitched well during his time at Double-A.

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Getting any prospects to bolster a farm system is good for a franchise in as rough a position as Colorado is, but they have to feel even better about the deal because it looks like they sold Bird at the perfect time.

He has struggled so much with his new team, that it was announced he has been sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Following last night’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Jake Bird to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) August 5, 2025

Before being traded, his production was beginning to wane.

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In his final two outings with the Rockies, he surrendered five earned runs while recording only three outs. His ERA in July was 19.89 through 6.1 innings, imploding on several occasions.

Things haven’t gotten any better since he joined the Yankees, with him struggling mightily in his first three outings.

Four earned runs were charged against him while recording only one out in his debut against the Miami Marlins in which David Bednar and Camilo Doval, their other deadline acquisitions, also imploded.

A clean second outing was had, but his third appearance, on Aug. 4 against the Texas Rangers, was another implosion.

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Three runs, two of which were earned, were scored against him in another late-game meltdown by the New York bullpen.

The decision to send him down is a fair one given how much he has struggled over the last few weeks.

Colorado looks to have certainly won the deal with the Yankees as of now, making the most of Bird’s value being at its highest.

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