When the Yankees Almost Traded Waite Hoyt for Eddie Collins

by Harold Friend Waite Hoyt replaced Babe Ruth when the Babe left Boston’s starting rotation to play the outfield full-time. Hoyt had pitched one game for the New York Giants in 1918 and then joined the Red Sox the following season. In December 1920, Waite Hoyt was sent to the Yankees in a multi-player deal. With the Yankees, Hoyt became a top starter, winning 19 games in both 1921 and 1922, but after losing the World Series to the Giants each of those seasons, the Yankees were looking to make changes. Hoyt Becomes Expendable On January 23, 1923, they acquired lefty Herb Pennock from the Red Sox, which made Waite Hoyt expendable. The trade put fourteen former Yankees on the Red Sox’ roster and eleven former Red Sox on the Yankees’ roster. The addition of Pennock gave the Yankees six starters -- Shawkey, Jones, Mays, Bush, Hoyt, and Pennock. Only Shawkey, who was obtained from Philadelphia, hadn’t pitched for Boston. Eddie Collins Trade Rumors A month earlier, there had been rumors t...