Law's trade take: Average-ish Happ a low-cost upgrade for Yanks
Happ has four pitches but works primarily off his fastball, which is just 90-91 much of the time with an ordinary spin rate but which he throws up in the zone with great success, in part at least because the ball looks like it's coming out of his shirt. He gets swinging strikes on the four-seamer, especially in the upper half of the zone, and a lot of called strikes as well.
It's the kind of pitch that hitters can crush if they pick it up, but he can be a fourth starter as long as he keeps guys from picking it up most of the time. And Happ does offer durability, making 25 or more starts in four straight years since a line drive fractured his skull and cost him half of the 2013 season. The Yankees didn't really have a fifth starter before this trade -- Luis Cessa was in that spot most recently, and Happ is an upgrade over him, now or in the postseason.
The Jays' return here is rather disappointing, even for a rental. Brandon Drury is a solid bench player who can play third and first and maybe fill in at second (not well, but enough to stand there) and provide some OBP and a little pop in a reserve role. There's a small chance he could be a regular at third if he finds another full grade of power, but he topped out at 16 homers even while playing for Arizona, and he's reaching the age where it becomes unlikely. You hope you can Max Muncy a guy like this, but only if you've added him for free, not as the main piece in a trade.
Billy McKinney is now on his fourth organization since he was the 24th overall pick in the 2013 draft -- he's been included in trades involving Jeff Samardzija, Aroldis Chapman and now Happ. He had a beautiful swing in high school, but hasn't developed much power and hasn't hit for enough average to profile as even a below-average regular in left. He's hitting just .230/.294/.502 this year for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, and can't handle center or right, so barring some complete change in his swing and/or approach, I don't see a role for him. I thought that the Jays would land at least one solid prospect for Happ, but either the market didn't offer one or they chose to take Drury instead of someone with higher ceiling.
