The New York Yankees may be looking for infielders near the trade deadline. The team has been using DJ LeMahieu and Jorbit Vivas at second base and plans to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third base after Oswaldo Cabrera’s injury.
However, LeMahieu is hitting just .239 in 15 games and has a .640 OPS. He is no longer the same player who won two batting titles and three Silver Sluggers. The Yankees could add an infielder to move LeMahieu into a bench role.
One player who could surprisingly be available is Alex Bregman of the Boston Red Sox. He signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, but is on the injured list right now. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are struggling and may very well be sellers by the time the July 31 deadline rolls around. CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder named Bregman as a player the team could trade away, and the Yankees may be willing to make it happen.
“I think the biggest and most intriguing name is Alex Bregman,” wrote Snyder. “He just went through a lengthy free agency before landing with the Red Sox on a creative three-year deal, but it has an opt-out clause after this season. He’s injured right now, but prior to that was having his best season in years, perhaps even since he finished second in MVP voting in 2019 (that’s what things like batting average, OPS+ and WAR say). If things continue on this path, Bregman could well be the big name this trade season.”
Bregman’s contract has an opt-out after this season, so the Red Sox are risking him walking for nothing in return. He was hitting .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs before his injury and would most likely find a better contract on the open market.
For the Yankees, Bregman would be able to slot in as the everyday third baseman, allowing Chisholm to play second base, where he started the season. He would be a clear upgrade for their infield and will likely end up being a rental.
Even if Bregman does not opt out, his payroll is just $25 million for this season, as his deal has $60 million in deferred money. Adding him as a rental would cost the Yankees a lot of prospect capital as is, but adding him from the Red Sox would cost them even more. However, it is a price the Yankees may be willing to pay in order to maximize their chance at a World Series this year.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox may have to come to terms with the fact that trading him to the Yankees may yield the best return. If their season slips away, then they will have to seriously consider trading Bregman.
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