Whether one believes this is Jordan Montgomery being critical of the Yankees for trading Sonny Gray depends on one's interpretation. But at the very least, Montgomery believes the Reds did a great piece of business in acquring Gray last month and signing him to a three-year, $30.5 million contract extension.

"Cincinnati got a steal," Montgomery told NJ.com on Thursday.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman was very public about his intent to move Gray, and he finally did on Jan. 21 in what was essentially a three-way trade. The Yankees received a 2019 Competitive Balance Round A draft pick and 2B Shed Long from Cincinnati; the Yanks then sent Long to Seattle for OF Josh Stowers; the Reds received Gray and LHP Reiver Sanmartin. 

Outfielder Dustin Fowler will get his at-bat at Yankee Stadium ... just as a member of the Oakland A's.

The highly-touted prospect, whom the Yankees dealt last summer as part of the Sonny Gray trade, was promoted to the majors for the second time in his career earlier this week and will make his next MLB start during this weekend's A's-Yankees series.

"It's just the perfect story," Fowler said, according to MLB.com's Jane Lee. "The guy I got traded for, getting to face him. It'll be nice to be in New York and play in front of that crowd. It'll be exciting. I'm ready to get there."

Fowler's first stint in the majors didn't last one full inning.

Yankees OF Dustin Fowler, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first inning of his MLB debut last Thursday night against the White Sox in Chicago, said his recovery is going well and that he expects to be able to return in four-to-six months.

Fowler suffered an open rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee when he slammed into the wall down the right field line attempting to catch a foul ball. He underwent surgery shortly afater at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The 22-year-old Fowler said he wouldn't change anything about the play and that he doesn't blame the exposed metal box he rammed into for his injury.

The Yankees have called up outfield prospect Dustin Fowler, according to Josh Norris of Baseball America.

Fowler has appeared in 70 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, hitting .293/.329/.542 with 13 HR, 43 RBI, and 19 doubles. 

Fowler is currently ranked as the Yankees' No. 8 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Chris Carelli, SNY.tv

Leadoff hitters are typically a key to a team's success. In the Yankees' case, they've jumped out to an 11-7 record despite left fielder Brett Gardner's incredibly poor start at the plate. Is it too early to look at the future without the Yankees' home grown outfielder and is it too late to receive a good return in a trade?

Gardner is hitting .182 with a .318 on-base percentage, .236 slugging percentage and a 68 wRC+ (runs created per plate appearance where 100 is average) in 66 plate appearances on the young season. However, Gardner's troubles go all the way back to the second half of the 2015 season. 

The moment Gardner returned from his first All-Star game, he began to backpedal offensively. Gardner has stood at the plate 993 times since July 17, 2015. During the span, Gardner sports a .240 batting average, .334 on-base percentage, .333 slugging percentage and an 86 wRC+. Gardner, once prolific on the bases, has swiped a mere 26 bases (caught six times) in the stretch, though he has five this season. Gardner has managed just three months (out of nine, including this month) with a wRC+ above 100 since August 2015. These are not small samples.

The Yankees have optioned Luis Cessa, who was in the running for one of the final spots in the rotation, to Triple-A Scranton, the team announced Friday morning.

In addition, New York has re-assigned INF Ji-Man Choi, OF Dustin Fowler, OF Clint Frazier, LHP Jason Gurka, and OF Billy McKinney to minor league camp.

Cessa appeared in five games this spring for the Yankees, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits in 9.2 innings with four walks and seven strikeouts.

Yankees OF Brett Gardner has been very impressed with the talent and work ethic of outfield prospects Billy McKinney and Dustin Fowler this spring.

"I think they're both 22," Gardner told Dan Martin of the New York Post, accurately, on Wednesday. "They're both better players than I was when I was that age, I'll tell you that."

While Gardner has noticed the potential both prospects have to suceed in the majors, the veteran is also aware of the reality of playing in the MLB.