The New York Yankees have several roster holes to fill during the offseason. As a result, general manager Brian Cashman will be busy throughout the winter. The bullpen, catcher, center field, second base, and third base will all be specific areas of concern for the Yankees. Nevertheless, New York may already have an internal option for one of these positions.
New York Post’s Jon Heyman recently claimed that the Yankees believe they do not need to sign a new second baseman. Jazz Chisholm is now a free agent, but New York does have Anthony Volpe and Luis García Jr. as options in the role. Volpe has been linked as a potential Chisholm replacement in recent weeks. If so, Heyman believes Cashman will prioritize relief pitchers and a new third baseman.
With this in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley is now predicting that the New York Yankees will trade for Josh Jung. The Texas Rangers star recently slashed an impressive .299/.365/.462 in 2026. He did, however, endure several injury issues throughout the campaign. In fact, shoulder, calf, and hand issues forced the slugger to only play 104 games on the season.
As Buckley points out, the Yankees would seemingly be a great match for top free agent Teruaki Sato. After all, the Japanese star just won Nippon Professional Baseball’s Triple Crown. Nevertheless, the writer hints at YES Network’s Jack Curry’s recent report claiming that New York does not believe the slugger can play the position in the big leagues.
Josh Jung is a Better Option for the New York Yankees Than Most Free Agents
Named an All-Star in 2023, Jung’s Major League Baseball career has been hampered by injuries. Nevertheless, when healthy, he has shown he can put up solid statistics. When averaging his numbers over a 162-game season, the third baseman would hit 27 home runs with 77 RBIs. The New York Yankees could target the Rangers star and hope he can remain healthy in the Bronx.
Outside of Sato, there are not exactly a ton of great options for the Yankees in free agency. In fact, the Japanese star was the only third baseman listed among The Athletic’s top 40 free agents this offseason. Eugenio Suárez could be seen as the top available player at the position besides Sato. The veteran slugger, however, is now mostly viewed as a designated hitter.
As a result, the New York Yankees are perhaps more likely to land a third baseman via a trade. Along with his impressive power stats, Jung would also represent solid value for Cashman. The infielder is projected to earn just $5.8 million in arbitration next season, and will not become a free agent until 2029.
New York has Multiple Trade Candidates to Work With
The New York Yankees, however, will have to appease the Rangers with an ample trade offer. Former highly rated prospect Spencer Jones has already been linked with a potential move out of town this winter. Jasson Dominguez, New York’s top overall prospect in 2024, is also viewed as a change-of-scenery candidate.
Outside of these two sluggers, the Yankees do not have a ton of highly ranked youngsters. In fact, MLB.com recently rated the team’s prospect pool as 27th in the league. Despite this, Cashman and Co. should be able to come up with a solid package to help land a new third baseman such as Jung.
Yankees Predicted to Land Star Slugger as Cashman Eyes Upgrade