The Yankees and Derek Jeter helped each other out again.
The Yankees, looking to clear space on the 40-man roster before Monday’s 8 p.m. Eastern deadline, shipped first baseman and outfielder Garrett Cooper and left-handed pitcher Caleb Smith to Miami in exchange for right-handed pitcher Michael King and 2017-18 international signing bonus pool money.
It marks the first trade between the Yankees and their former captain, who is now a part-owner of the Marlins (and who swiped Yankees VP of player development Gary Denbo, who is familiar with Cooper and Smith).
The Yankees’ roster now sits at 34, so they have six slots to protect prospects who otherwise could be taken in December’s Rule 5 draft.
Cooper, a 26-year-old, made his big-league debut this season, going 14-for-43 (.326) in 13 games. The Yankees traded for him in July while seeking a Greg Bird replacement.
Smith, also 26, was a swingman last season who appeared in nine games (two starts) with the Yankees, in which he was 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA. With Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Smith struck out 97 in 98 innings en route to going 9-1 with a 2.39 ERA.
King is a 22-year-old from Rochester who went to Boston College. He spent last season in Single-A Greensboro, where he went 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA.