When the New York Yankees failed to even make an offer to retain seven-year second baseman Gleyber Torres, who signed a one-year, $15 million free agent deal with the Detroit Tigers in late December, the obvious expectation was general manager Brian Cashman would acquire a new infielder to fill the spot now left vacant.
Over the course of the offseason, the Yankees were linked to a range of candidates, including former San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brandon Lowe, and Whit Merrifield, who divided 2024 between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.
How serious, if at all, the Yankees were about any of those candidates remains unclear. What is clear is that the offseason is now over, spring training is underway and the Yankees have done nothing to replace Torres.
That is a mistake for which the Yankees may end up paying dearly, according to Alexander Wilson, founder of New York-centric site Empire Sports Media. Writing in the publication on Friday, Wilson warned the Yankees that they are “one injury away from devastation in the infield.”
The problem is, it now appears the Yankees will fill the second base position with Jazz Chisolm Jr., who was acquired by New York in a trade deadline deal with the Miami Marlins last year to play third base, though the 27-year-old native of Nassau, Bahamas, had played only outfield, second base and shortstop previously.
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While moving Chisolm back to second would seem to be an improvement, the problem is not as much his fielding ability as his availability. In his five-year career, the injury-prone Chisolm has played more than 100 games only twice. In 2024 he appeared in 147 games between his two teams, a career high.
“Prior to that, injuries had been a recurring issue, limiting his availability and consistency,” Wilson wrote. “The Yankees are banking on his ability to replicate last year’s durability, but if Chisholm misses time, their infield picture becomes murky fast.”
Additionally, with Chisolm shifting back to second, the Yankees are left with a patchwork situation at third base, with DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera all battling for time there.
“If an injury occurs at either second or third, the Yankees would be forced to scramble for solutions, and the internal options don’t inspire much confidence,” Wilson wrote.
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His solution? Brendan Rodgers, the former Colorado Rockies second baseman who was non-tendered by the Denver-based team despite being drafted No. 3 overall by the Rockies in 2015.
Rodgers, 28, remains a free agent and though Spotrac projects his market worth at $56.4 million over four years, given that he was cut by the Rockies in November and has failed to catch on with any other team, he could likely be acquired for significantly less.
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