Tim Locastro is coming home.
The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler reported Thursday that the Arizona Diamondbacks have traded the Auburn native to the New York Yankees. The Diamondbacks received minor league pitcher Keegan Curtis in exchange for Locastro.
News: Yankees acquiring right-handed outfielder Tim Locastro from the Diamondbacks for AA pitcher Keegan Curtis. Adds speed and a center field defensive option to the Yankees' roster.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) July 1, 2021
This is the second time the Yankees acquired Locastro. In 2018, the Los Angeles Dodgers traded him to New York. But the Yankees designated him for assignment before trading him to the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he spent parts of the last three seasons.
Locastro is batting .178 with one home run and five stolen bases. He has been hit by a pitch nine times this season, tying him for ninth in the majors.
The addition of Locastro gives the Yankees an outfielder who is capable of contributing off the bench. His speed can be an asset. The Yankees rank last in the majors in stolen bases (17).
Locastro set a major league record for most consecutive stolen bases without being caught to start a career (29). He has ranked as one of the fastest players in baseball. He had the best sprint speeds among major leaguers in 2019 and 2020.
A 2010 Auburn High School graduate, Locastro was a Yankees fan as a child. His family would travel to the Bronx to attend games at Yankee Stadiums.
In 2019, Locastro’s first year with the Diamondbacks, he played against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium and hit his first major league home run.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].