Trade fills voids

Yankees acquire Marte and Nady

To paraphrase Yankees manager Joe Girardi, good lefthanders are hard to find. And the Bombers didn't have one - until last night.

During a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox, the Yankees traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates for lefty reliever Damaso Marte and outfielder Xavier Nady, who helps fill the void in the absence of Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada, both of whom are on the disabled list.

ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported the Yankees made the trade in return for four minor leaguers, three of whom are pitchers (righthanders Ross Ohlendorf and George Kontos and lefty Phil Coke). The other is right fielder Jose Tabata.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman didn't announce the deal, saying he "wasn't aware of any trade."

"You'd have to talk to the Pirates," he said.

A Pirates team spokesman confirmed to media outlets a trade was in place, pending physicals.

Girardi didn't discuss trades before the game and had no comment afterward.

"I can't really talk about something that hasn't happened," he said. "There's nothing official."

Yankees captain Derek Jeter said, "Our ownership always gives us an opportunity to win, so it's really not surprising. It seems like every year if they feel as though we need some different pieces to help us win, they go out and get them, so this year is no different than the other."

Nady is batting .330 with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs and Marte is 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 47 strikeouts.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez noted that Marte is a "lefthanded pitcher in his prime who's won a world championship." Marte, 33, was a member of the 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox.

"He's got A-plus stuff and A-plus makeup," Rodriguez said. "Then you've got [Nady], who's a veteran player who's played in New York [with the Mets in 2006], very successful in New York and he's a winning player."

"Getting Marte, a lefthander out of the bullpen, we need someone that can get [David] Ortiz out," said outfielder Johnny Damon. "Ortiz is that good of a player. You need to get some guy who can at least make his at-bats uncomfortable."

Acquiring Marte adds to the success of the Yankees bullpen. Jose Veras (2.97 ERA in 33 1/3 innings) and Kyle Farnsworth (10 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings) have done well, but the rising star has been Edwar Ramirez, who has retired 32 of the last 36 batters he has faced.

Also crucial is an extra bat, which the Yankees hoped they obtained when they signed first baseman Richie Sexson July 18.

Matsui, who was batting .365 over his last 26 games, was placed on the DL June 27 with inflammation in his left knee. He was examined Monday and will resume rehabilitation next week.

Posada was examined Tuesday and is still considering surgery on his right shoulder, which could occur now or after the season. He was placed on the DL Monday for the second time this season. Catcher Jose Molina has been filling in but he was 3 for 16 (.188) in the team's recent six-game homestand.

And adding Nady could be insurance for Damon, who returned from the DL Monday and has gone 3 for 14. Damon injured his shoulder in the Sox' 6-4 victory July 4 when he tried to catch Kevin Youkilis's fly ball that landed on top of the left-field fence and went for a triple.

Jeter said he played against Nady when he was with the Mets and Pirates and that Marte is a "great player as well."

"We got them for a reason, and hopefully, they come in here and help us out," Jeter said.