BREAKING: Jose Pirela Traded to San Diego for Ronald Herrera

Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees have struck their first trade of the offseason today as Jose Pirela was sent to the San Diego Padres for a minor league pitcher. That minor league pitcher is Ronald Herrera.

Pirela has been groomed as a utility guy for the Yankees, although his best and most natural position is second base, but the soon-to-be 26 year old is now headed west to San Diego to join former teammate Yangervis Solarte.

It is interesting to think about where San Diego will play Pirela and how they will use him. The most glaring hole the team has is at shortstop, a position Pirela has not played in the upper levels of the minor leagues, but the team seemingly enjoyed what they saw out of Jedd Gyorko there as recently as the 2015 season so who knows. He may become a super utility player for the Padres with the ability to play third base, second base and the outfield with ease while Herrera could potentially join a long train of potential Yankees right-handed relief pitchers they will be inviting to Spring Training camp this season.

Herrera is just 20-years old and finished the season in Double-A last season throwing 145.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. Herrera pitched to a 4.08 ERA, 6.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 and is known, like Luis Severino, as a polished but undersized right-handed pitcher who could struggle to hold down a long-term job in a Major League starting rotation. Herrera may be destined for the bullpen or he may defy the odds much like Severino, Johan Santana, Pedro Martinez and many others have done. Either way we will miss Pirela in pinstripes and welcome Herrera to the club with open arms.