Former Madeira High School standout Andrew Benintendi was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the New York Yankees for minor-league pitchers Chandler Champlain, Beck Way and T.J. Sikkema, the team announced Wednesday night.
In his seventh Major League Baseball season, the outfielder recently earned his first All-Star selection. Benintendi, who was an American League reserve in the Midsummer Classic, is one of 13 players on MLB rosters from Greater Cincinnati high schools, University of Cincinnati or Xavier University.
The Royals start a four-game series in New York on Thursday, so Benintendi will oppose his former teammates in his first action as a Yankee.
Benintendi had said earlier this month that he was trying not to worry about reports that he could be dealt ahead of MLB's trade deadline Aug. 2. NYPost.com's Dan Martin and Jon Heyman reported July 10 that the Yankees had talks about acquiring Benintendi.
"I think it goes back to there's only so much you can control," Benintendi said before the Royals' series finale in Detroit, per KansasCity.com's Lynn Worthy. "I mean, I feel like when I was younger and when I first came up, I'd try to control a lot more than what I was capable of, and that would lead to worrying about stuff that didn't really matter. I just think less is more. ... The only thing I can control is showing up and doing my work. Everything else is what it is and don't worry about it too much."
A report in June via Twitter from MLB Network's Jon Morosi indicated that the Toronto Blue Jays were among teams interested in Benintendi.
Benintendi is hitting .320 through Wednesday with three homers and 39 RBIs with an OPS of .788 in his second season with the Royals. He hit .276 with 17 homers and 73 RBIs in 2021 and won his first career Gold Glove.
In Feb. 2021 - shortly after Benintendi was dealt from the Boston Red Sox to the Royals in a three-team trade that also included the New York Mets - Miamiherald.com's Barry Jackson and Craig Mish reported that the Miami Marlins could have landed Benintendi in a three-team trade but instead opted to sign former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall.
Benintendi hit .273 with 51 homers and 260 RBIs with an OPS of .789 over his first five MLB seasons, all with the Red Sox. He finished second behind the Yankees' Aaron Judge in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2017.
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