New York Yankees

Tampa Bay entered their weekend series against New York with the opportunity to reclaim first place in the American League East. On Friday, one swing of the bat put the Rays closer to their goal.

Matt Joyce’s two out, two-run home run erased a 2-0 deficit en route to the Rays 3-2 win Friday at Tropicana Field.

The 2010 trade deadline will be deemed unsucccessful for the Yankees tomorrow at 4:00 pm.

The Yankees acquired Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns on Friday, just hours before the trade deadline. Berkman will fill the Yankees void at designated hitter, and Kearns will add depth to the Yankees bench.

You can understand why the Yankees acquired Kearns. The Yankees always said they want a bench player, and Kearns can play almost every position on the field. Berkman, on the other hand, is a different story.

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, who’s on fire today breaking two trades, the Yankees acquired outfielder Austin Kearns from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later.

Jon Heyman is reporting (via Twitter) Lance Berkman has been traded to the New York Yankees. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter), the Yankees will send pitcher Mark Melancon and second baseman Jimmy Paredes to Houston.

New York Yankees Javier Vazquez will face Tampa Bay Rays Matt Garza on Saturday night at the Trop.

Let's take a look at this match-up:

Tampa Bay Rays: Matt Garza (11-5)

With Saturday’s trade deadline looming, teams are looking either to bolster already formidable rotations and lineups or to move the present and build for the future. It happens every season in baseball.

Various media sources are reporting the New York Yankees have acquired Lance Berkman from the Houston Astros to be their DH.

This is clearly in reaction to the Phillies acquiring Roy Oswalt, as they don't want to look as though they did nothing during the trade deadline, while the Phillies vastly upgraded their team.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi was impressed enough to say he may have found a replacement in the starting rotation until Andy Pettitte returns from injury.

Who will be taking Pettitte's spot? Dustin Moseley, who did just enough to earn another start after throwing six innings of one run ball in his first start since last April. The righty has battled back through an arm and hip surgery.

While he said he "felt calm from the get-go," Moseley admitted he may have been trying too hard in the first inning.

The Yankees and Rays enter this weekend's three-game series in St. Petersburg in pretty much the same position they've been all season—holding the two best records in baseball.

But this set ends in August, and games become a little bit more important in August.

New York (65-36) currently holds a two-game advantage over Tampa Bay (63-38) in the American League East, but that could all change if the Rays pull off a sweep.

Let's take a look at the pitching matchups.

As the deals begin to pick up steam in the waning moments before Saturday's MLB non-waiver trade deadline, inevitably the accompanying rumors have increased in frequency as well.