ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ As the Yankees advanced in trade talks for Orioles' closer Zach Britton on Tuesday night, Masahiro Tanaka retired the first 12 Rays to face him at Tropicana Field.
Tanaka's flirtation with perfection ended in the fifth, but he completed a three-hit shutout as the Yankees earned a 4-0 victory.
And before the game ended, the Yankees had agreed to land Britton for pitching prospects, with medicals pending as first reported by Jon Heyman of Fancred.com.
The presence of Britton, 30, would give the Yankees a superior left-handed setup man in front of flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman.
Chasen Shreve has been the only other lefty in the Yankees' bullpen, though the club's power arms have been effective weapons against lefty hitters.
Given an underwhelming market for available starters, the Yankees moved to improve a signature team strength _ the bullpen.
And the Yankees' previous trade discussions with the Orioles for star shortstop Manny Machado _ since traded to the Dodgers _ gave them at least some advantage as to what it would take to entice Baltimore.
Headed toward free agency at year's end, Britton had drawn the attention of several contenders _ including the Red Sox and Astros.
Yankees right-handed prospect Dillon Tate, an Eastern League All-Star, was scratched right before his scheduled start Tuesday for Class AA Trenton.
Yankees infielder Brandon Drury is a top potential trade chip, though he was not likely to be going to Baltimore _ unless a trade were expanded to include right-hander Kevin Gausman, linked to Yankees interest.
The Yankees' starting second baseman on Tuesday night, Drury exited the game in the fifth inning, shortly after being drilled by a pitch to his left hand.
Diagnosed with a contusion, Drury was replaced by Tyler Wade. X-rays on Drury's hand were negative.
Gausman is not eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season.
The Yankees aren't likely done dealing ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, with Blue Jays' lefty starter J.A. Happ _ also headed toward free agency _ among the remaining targets.
Tanaka struck out nine batters and walked one in a 105-pitch performance.
Back as the Yankees' starting catcher, perhaps until late August, Austin Romine drove in two runs with a fifth-inning groundout and a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
Fresh off being named the Yankees' Heart and Hustle award recipient by the MLB Players Alumni Association, Romine's ascension comes as Gary Sanchez landed back on the 10-day disabled list due to a re-aggravated strained right groin.
But that didn't give Sanchez a full pass for his lack of hustle on two key plays, including the game-ending groundout, in Monday night's 7-6 loss _ the Yankees' fifth straight defeat by the Rays.
Didi Gregorius had an RBI groundout in the first inning, after singles by Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge.
