After making plenty of moves already, the New York Yankees could still use a player to play second or third base. Whatever direction they go, the Yankees would have a set infield. There’s an argument for either position, but as long as they add one, the Yankees could be a better team in 2025 than last year.
There aren’t many options for the Yankees to pursue on the free agency market. They could look at someone like Alex Bregman, but would they want to pay him $150-plus million? Probably not.
On the trade market, Luis Arraez might be the best option. However, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic is uncertain about his fit with the Yankees. Kirschner was asked about Arraez playing first base before they signed Paul Goldschmidt, adding that he could now play second base.
“Henry sent this question in before the Yankees signed Goldschmidt to play first base, but there’s still room for Arraez if they wanted him for second base, where he also plays. The Padres could trade Arraez if they cannot sign him to a long-term extension. He is a free agent at the end of the coming season. Arraez is a polarizing player because he’s a terrible defender and doesn’t offer much on the basepaths but is one of the best bat-to-ball hitters in the sport.
“He’s almost exclusively a singles and doubles hitter. While there’s value, the Yankees should look to see if they can add more power before inquiring about Arraez’s availability. Arraez could play second, but he shouldn’t be their first choice. It would make more sense to bring Gleyber Torres back rather than trading for Arraez. But it doesn’t appear as if Torres is an option for the Yankees,” Kirschner wrote on December 23.
Why the Yankees Should Trade for Arraez
Kirschner’s points are more than fair. The New York Yankees have been a team built on power and Arraez brings close to nothing in that department.
There’s value in a player who gets on base at a high level, and the three-time Batting Title Champion has done just that. But is that enough?
Randy Miller of NJ.com spoke with a National League scout, who spoke about why the Yankees could use Arraez.
“Because of analytics, Arraez is the most underrated player in the game. The guy wins the batting title every year and he keeps getting traded because he doesn’t hit home runs and he doesn’t hit the ball 100 mph. The one thing he does do is get 200 hits every year without ever striking out. His strikeout rate is unbelievable. I’ll take a player like that on my team,” the NL scout said.
Why the Yankees Should Avoid Arraez
The New York Yankees defense was a major issue last season, perhaps why they lost the World Series. The Yankees’ Game 5 defensive collapse was a tough watch and something the team needs to improve to win it all next season.
Arraez would be Gleyber Torres‘ replacement. Torres struggled defensively last season and is part of why the Yankees don’t want him back.
Miller also spoke with an American League scout, who highlighted how poor of a defender Arraez is, saying he’s worse than Torres on the field.
“I think Arraez can be a fit as their Yankees leadoff hitter and first baseman. The Padres aren’t going to give him way though. They’re going to want something good for him because nobody hits for average like he does in today’s game.
“I know analytics people don’t like him because there’s nothing that comes off his bat hard, there’s no power and he can’t run. You can’t play him at second base either. That’s his natural position, but he was awful there because he can’t move,” the AL scout said.
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