Opinion: Bronx Bombers are back as Yankees trade for Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo

The New York Yankees were too old, too slow, too un-athletic, too budget-stretched, and too stupid not to surrender this season, right?

They tried to win for four months. They failed to be anything more than average. It was time to call it quits.

Hey, they were even going to consider making All-Star Aaron Judge available for trades, right?

Well, someone forgot to tell the Yankees they were supposed to stop being the Yankees.

They may be 53-48, nine games out of first place behind the Boston Red Sox entering Thursday night. They may just have been embarrassed by the second-place Tampa Bay Rays, 14-0, on Thursday afternoon.

So, what do they do?

They trade for Chicago Cubs three-time All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, sending two of their top 15 prospects with the Cubs having to pay remainder of his contract, totaling about $5.5 million.

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The Yankees had only gotten 22 home runs from left-handed hitters this season, second-fewest in baseball, but added 39 with the additions of Rizzo and Joey Gallo to add balance to the righty-heavy lineup.

And just like that, the Bronx Bombers are back.

Oh, sure, they’ve still got plenty of work to do simply to reach the postseason.

They still need pitching help, and according to Yankee officials, they now will focus on acquiring bullpen help.

Yet, even after all of the bluster that this is no longer George Steinbrenner’s Yankees, it’s still the same bloodlines, and son, Hal Steinbrenner, still has the burning passion to win.

Oh, he’s not going to just toss away money and blow past the luxury tax , but he’ll still be creative in finding ways to win.

You don’t want to go past the $210 million luxury tax? No problem.

You pay the way, and we’ll give you more prospects.

There’s no way the Cubs would have received pitcher Alex Vizcaino, the Yankees’ ninth-best prospect, and outfielder Kevin Alcantara, their 12th-best prospect, if the Cubs didn’t pay the full freight.

Rizzo is simply a rental who rejected a five-year, $70 million contract extension in spring training.

They have now traded away six of their top 30 prospects in 12 hours, but they saved about $8.5 million in luxury tax relief, while dramatically improving their offense.

The way the Yankees figure it, they’ll simply go out and find more prospects, but for now, they got another postseason to play in October.

We’ll see if it works, but, man, are they ever trying.

Yep, just like the good old days.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees trades for Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo solidify Bronx Bombers