The New York Yankees have surged to a first-place standing in the American League East division after coming up short in the World Series last fall.
The team has enjoyed great debuts from newcomers such as Paul Goldschmidt and Max Fried. But as the Yankees look to make another deep October run with even better results this season, they seem likely to bring in even more help.
In addition to some pitching reinforcement to make up for the loss of Gerrit Cole, the Yankees appear likely to explore a deal for another infielder. The team opened the year with some question marks at third base and those questions have persisted after a harsh injury to Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Chisholm landed on the injured list earlier this month after suffering a high-grade strain to his right oblique. Initially, he was optimistic about returning to the team quickly, but the team got a brutal update on his injury.
Newsweek’s Jon Vankin cited a report that stated Chisholm’s injury “is even worse than previously believed,” pointing to an update from Pinstripes Nation. NJ.com’s Randy Miller noted that Chisholm is at least “three to five weeks away from returning.”
As the Yankees face a final chance to make a significant infield upgrade to their roster, Jomboy Media’s Jake Soriale predicted the team would trade for St. Louis Cardinals veteran Nolan Arenado.
“Way too early Yankee trade deadline prediction,” Storiale said. “Nolan Arenado.”
Speculation that the Yankees would acquire Arenado has loomed ever since it was reported that the Cardinals were shopping their veteran over the winter. He’s an eight-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner in his career, though his offensive production has diminished in recent seasons.
The primary obstacle around a Yankees trade for Arenado would seem to be his salary. After signing an eight-year, $260 million deal with the Colorado Rockies, he’s owed a total of $52 million through 2027.
But as the Yankees pivot around a concerning injury to Chisholm, they could be looking for a way to make an Arenado trade work.
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