
Just days before the start of the new season, the New York Yankees announced they have traded veteran infielder Zack Short to the Washington Nationals. The Yankees will receive cash considerations in return.
Short had just signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees back in December 2025. His departure is one of several moves the Yankees are steadily making in preparation for the upcoming season.
Short was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 MLB Draft. He’d spent a majority of his time in Chicago playing in the minor leagues before being traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2020.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have traded INF Zack Short to the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations.
— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) March 24, 2026
He did not play a single game during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled the entire minor-league season. In 2021, Short would finally get the call-up to the major leagues.
Short played 61 games throughout the 2012 season and finished with a .141 batting average. He’d play only six major-league games in 2022, and at the conclusion of the 2023 season, Short was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.
Although Short would make the opening day roster for the Mets, he would only make 10 total appearances, posting a .111 batting average before being designated for assignment in mid-2024.
In May 2024, the Mets traded Short to the Boston Red Sox. Short would only last eight days with the team, appearing in two games and failing to hit at all in his plate appearances. After his short stint in Boston, Short was traded to the Atlanta Braves.
Short played 30 games for the Braves before once again being designated for assignment. At the end of the 2024 season, Short elected to go to free agency.
In 2025, the Houston Astros signed Short to a minor-league deal. He’d make 73 appearances for the Triple-A affiliate before being called up in July by the Astros to their active roster. Short made 22 appearances for the Astros but was later designated for assignment just a month later.
Through the offseason, the Yankees made important re-signings that will help the team compete in their division. One of their more important moves was the re-signing of outfielder Cody Bellinger.
The Yankees also bolstered their bullpen by bringing in David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. The organization will hope to continue being a major threat in the AL and attempt to qualify to the playoffs for a third straight year.
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