The New York Yankees could have to make a decision on veteran infielder Paul DeJong soon.
The Yankees signed DeJong to a minor league contract in January, and after not making the Opening Day roster, he opted to remain with the team. However, after nearly a month in the minor leagues, DeJong has now informed New York that he will be opting out of his deal if he isn’t promoted to the MLB by the end of the month.
“Paul DeJong gave the Yankees notice he’s planning to opt out at the end of the month if not promoted,” MLB insider Jon Heyman wrote on X.
DeJong was an All-Star in 2019 and is a veteran infielder who can be a nice utility player, amid the struggles to the likes of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon. Yet, with Anthony Volpe getting closer to a return, it does seem unlikely the team will promote DeJong.
The 32-year-old played in 57 games with the Washington Nationals last season. He hit .228 with 6 home runs and 23 RBIs. In the minors this season, he’s hitting .213 with 6 home runs and 13 RBIs in 78 at-bats, as he has had some success, but how he fits on New York’s roster is uncertain.
Yet, by saying he will trigger his opt-out, DeJong will either be in the MLB or have a chance to sign elsewhere by May 1 to see if he can be back in the MLB at some point this season.
Volpe Closing in on Return
The Yankees’ infield appears to be crowded, and Anthony Volpe is closing in on a return.
Volpe is on a rehab assignment, and he’s getting close to a return. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, meanwhile, said Volpe is still working on his timing at the plate.
“Still working on timing,” Boone said. “It’s only been two weeks of games. Still getting there…but I know he feels really good and feels ready to contribute too.”
When Volpe does return to the MLB, it’s expected that he will regain the starting job. Yet, Boone knows Jose Caballero deserves more at-bats even when Volpe is back.
“Cabbie is playing at a really high level. Obviously, we think very highly of Anthony too. But those are answers for another day. Bottom line is, Josie has earned a lot of opportunities and has been right in the middle of us winning a lot of games,” Boone said.
Volpe is hitting .308 with 1 home run and 3 RBIs in 26 at-bats on his rehab assignment.
Yankees Make Roster Move
New York made a roster move ahead of its series against the Texas Rangers.
The Yankees optioned right-hander Luis Gil and promoted outfielder Jasson Dominguez, as Giancarlo Stanton is dealing with an injury. The move came after a disappointing outing from Gil, which Boone was frustrated with.
“He struggled to get swing-and-miss again,” Boone said. “He’s just been struggling to get consistency with his delivery and fastball profile. A combination of not quite good enough command, the stuff not being as good as it is when Luis is at his very best — add that up, and you struggle to get that swing-and-miss.”
The Yankees are 18-10 and atop the AL East.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Paul DeJong Sends Clear Message to Yankees as Opt-Out Date Looms appeared first on HEAVY.