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With Spring Training starting in February, the New York Yankees still have questions about who their third or second baseman will be. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will play one of the two positions, but the Yankees don’t have a set answer for the other position, a potential issue they need to figure out.
The Yankees have prospects to trade, and if they want to get creative, they could spend money. Depending on what happens with Marcus Stroman, the Yankees could be in a better position to make a signing if they get his $18 million off the books.
Trading him could help the Yankees sign someone like Alex Bregman, arguably the top free agent remaining on the market. The Yankees are still considered a fit for the two-time All-Star, with R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports listing them among the top suitors for his services.
“The Yankees have been connected with Bregman and, more recently, myriad downmarket infielders. That suggests they might prefer to take a flier and see how that works out before finding a long-term solution at second or third base, whichever position isn’t occupied by Jazz Chisholm Jr. Fair enough, I suppose. There’s also the matter of whether or not the Yankees could stomach signing someone who was part of those sign-stealing Astros squads. I suspect they would for the right price,” Anderson wrote on January 13.
Bregman Predicted to Sign With Yankees’ Rival
On paper, the New York Yankees adding Bregman would give them exactly what they need. The Yankees need a third baseman, and they’d be adding a Gold Glove-caliber defender who swings it with the best of them at the position.
However, the same could be said for the Yankees’ rival, the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox view Bregman as a second baseman, and he indicated that he’d be willing to play there, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.
Bregman joining the Red Sox wouldn’t come as a surprise, given their need for more talent. Kerry Miller of Blecher Report predicted that to happen, with Bregman landing a four-year, $120 million deal.
“For what it’s worth, Bregman sure has loved that Green Monster over the course of his career. In 21 games played at Fenway Park, he has triple-slashed .375/.490/.750 with seven home runs and a total of 16 extra-base hits.
“Adding another bat would further block the path to regular big league ABs for top prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell, but what a nice dilemma that would be, to have too many quality options,” Miller wrote on January 13.
Red Sox and Yankees Have to Be Careful if They Want Bregman
If the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are interested in signing Bregman, they need to get a move on. Another team could come in and poach the two-time World Series champion, an issue they want to avoid.
Given Bregman is still on the market a few weeks from Spring Training, it could be due to his price being too high. However, the Yankees and Red Sox have more than enough money to spend on any free agent they want.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote about other teams potentially getting a deal done before the Red Sox, but the same logic could apply to the Yankees.
“He’s the right-handed hitting stalwart they need, and it doesn’t matter if they sign him on Jan. 10, Feb. 10 or even March 10, as long as they get a deal done…
“The problem with delaying is that some other club might make a surprise move, the way the Arizona Diamondbacks did with right-hander Corbin Burnes. And for the Red Sox, here’s the crazy part: It’s not even clear they want Bregman, who arguably makes more sense for them than Alonso does for the Mets,” Rosenthal wrote on January 10.
The Red Sox have been considered the favorites over the Yankees and others in recent weeks, so more than anyone else, it’s questionable why they haven’t come to an agreement on a deal.
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