Yankees are back to being the Evil Empire, and the Red Sox feel the pain

The Evil Empire is back, and, oh, don’t the Boston Red Sox know it.

The New York Yankees pulled off a blockbuster seven-player trade Tuesday evening, seizing three players from the Chicago White Sox who the Red Sox also desired.

The Yankees acquired former All-Star closer David Robertson, former All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier and reliever Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox for prized outfield prospect Blake Rutherford, veteran reliever Tyler Clippard, minor-league pitcher Ian Clarkin, and minor-league outfielder Tito Polo.

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The Yankees served notice that they’re not about to concede this season, while having a bullpen that may be the most potent in the land.

“Adding two arms like that,’’ Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, “could really help out. Those are two power arms that have strikeout stuff.’’

The Yankees, who had lost 17 of their last 24 games, slipping to 3 ½ games behind the Red Sox in the American League East, now have a three-headed monster in late innings with closer Aroldis Chapman, Robertson and Dellin Betances.

And, considering the Yankees’ ineptitude at first and third base this season, Frazier, who is earning $12 million in the final year of his contract, is a welcome addition. He’s hitting just .207 but has 16 homers, and is a solid infielder.

Yet, while the Yankees firmly established themselves as contenders, the biggest winners of the trade deadline have been the White Sox.

Mired in mediocrity for years, the White Sox completely overhauled one of the worst farm systems in baseball and turned it into perhaps the best in the game. They now have 10 of the top 68 prospects in baseball, according to Baseball America, with the acquisition of Rutherford, the Yankees’ 2016 No. 1 pick and the No. 36 prospect overall.

“There’s going to be some growing pains here,’’ White Sox GM Rick Hahn said, “but I think we are extremely excited around here. We have a lot of work to do to keep this process moving, but we’re pleased with how it’s gone so far.

“There is hope about the future.’’

This is a deal that could be ideal for both sides, really with the White Sox building a team that could contend in 2019, and the Yankees, who are trying to win now, while still clinging onto their elite prospects with Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, and Justus Sheffield still in fold.

And, oh yeah, the Yankees made sure that the Red Sox would be left empty-handed.

“We made the determination that bundling these three players together was the best way to maximize our return on any transaction,” Hahn said. “We felt this trade with the Yankees brought back the most quality as opposed to spreading our assets across multiple deals.’’

The Yankees, who tried to acquire Jose Quintana before he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs last week, turned their focus to Robertson, who spent his first seven years pitching for the Yankees, and had 13 saves and a 2.70 ERA this year for the White Sox. Yet, the key to the trade, the Yankees say, was Kahnle, who’s under club control through 2020. Kahnle is striking out 15 batters per nine innings, and has struck out 78 batters with 13 walks in his last 52 innings.

Gallery: MLB trade deadline tracker

The Yankees are taking on about $23 million in the deal, but just $13 million next season, with the White Sox agreeing to offset part of the expenditure by taking Clippard (1-5, 4.95 ERA) and $4.15 million salary. The Yankees still want to shed payroll to get below the $197 million luxury tax next year, but they’ll worry about that later. For now, they’ve got a playoff berth to win.

And for the White Sox, well, operators are standing by waiting for your calls.

“We’re still open for business,’’ White Sox GM Rick Hahn said, who also is shopping outfielders Melky Cabrera and outfielder Avisail Garcia, along with veteran starter Derek Holland.

The Yankees may be not done, either, still hoping to acquire another starter for the stretch run, but they know that the pricetag for Oakland Athletics ace Sonny Gray will be too exorbitant. They’ll likely have to simply rely on their vaunted bullpen.

As for the Red Sox?

It's back to the phones, knowing they badly need a third baseman, while hoping to acquire another reliever.

And, oh yeah, just in case anyone wondered, that war between the Yankees and Red Sox has been rekindled, loud and clear for everyone to see.

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