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Yankees trade Headley, Mitchell to Padres in 3-player deal

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The New York Yankees cleared out some of their excess salary Tuesday by trading third baseman Chase Headley, right-hander Bryan Mitchell, and cash considerations to the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Jabari Blash.

The cash heading to San Diego is $500,000, reports MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

San Diego will pay all of Headley's $13-million salary in 2018, sources told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Clearing that salary gives the Yankees additional wiggle room under the luxury-tax threshold, something owner Hal Steinbrenner said was a priority even after absorbing the majority of Giancarlo Stanton's massive contract.

Shedding Headley's salary puts New York approximately $30 million below the $197-million tax threshold, reports Rosenthal, citing sources. The team may still wish to move Jacoby Ellsbury and his large contract for even more room under the tax, though Ellsbury isn't thought to be interested in waiving his no-trade clause.

The trade returns Headley to the Padres, where he played his first eight big-league seasons. His name can still be found throughout the Padres' record books; he ranks fifth in franchise history in hits (873), eighth in home runs (87), and fourth in games played (908).

In 147 games for the Yankees last year, Headley hit .273/.352/.406 with 12 homers, 61 RBIs, and 30 doubles. The 33-year-old began the season as the Yankees' third baseman but was primarily deployed at first base and designated hitter during the second half after the acquisition of Todd Frazier.

Mitchell gives the Padres another young arm to potentially fit into their young starting rotation, as he has another four years of team control and has yet to reach arbitration. The 26-year-old missed most of 2016 due to a foot issue, then shuttled between the majors and Triple-A in 2017; he posted a 5.79 ERA, 17 strikeouts, and one save in 20 appearances (one start) for the Yankees last year.

Blash shuttled between the Padres and their Triple-A affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas, in 2017. Despite posting a 1.036 OPS and launching 20 homers in 72 games at El Paso, the 28-year-old was unable to stick in the majors, hitting just .213/.333/.341 with five homers and 66 strikeouts across 195 plate appearances in 2017.

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