After landing Alex Verdugo from their arch-rival Red Sox in a rare trade between the sides earlier this evening, the Yankees still figure to look for upgrades to a lineup that ranked 19th in the majors with a 94 wRC+ in 2023 despite another fantastic season from team captain Aaron Judge, who slashed .267/.406/.613 with 37 home runs in just 106 games this season. Those upgrades don’t appear likely to come in the form of an addition at third base, however, as GM Brian Cashman told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) earlier today that the club feels “covered” around the infield and does not consider third base to be an area of need this offseason.
While the Yankees figure to return Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, and Anthony Volpe as established regulars at first base, second base, and shortstop respectively, the hot corner features a little more uncertainty next season. Yankees third basemen slashed a collective .225/.302/.361 this past season, good for an 85 wRC+ that ranked better than just eight teams in 2023. Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu took most of the club’s reps at the hot corner last season with 67 starts, though each of Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera also contributed as the Yankees mixed-and-matched at the position.
With Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa both having departed the organization, that would seemingly leave LeMahieu in line to receive the most reps at the position once again in 2024. The 35-year-old veteran just completed the third season of his six-year, $90MM contract with the Yankees. LeMahieu got roughly league average results (101 wRC+) at the plate in 2023 with a .243/.327/.390 slash line in 136 games. While LeMahieu’s 15 home runs tied his 2018 total with the Rockies for the second-highest of his career in a single season, the added power came at the cost of discipline. LeMahieu struck out at a career-high 22.2% clip this past season, well above both his career average of 15.2% and the 13.1% mark he posted in 2022.
Despite the additional whiffs as LeMahieu enters his mid-thirties, the veteran is likely still the club’s best option at the hot corner entering the year as both Cabrera and Peraza are coming off disastrous offensive seasons at the plate. While Peraza performed solidly at the Triple-A level with a 108 wRC+ in 300 plate appearances, the 23-year-old looked over-matched in the big leagues with a meager .191/.267/.272 slash line in a 52 games in the majors. Cabrera, meanwhile, appeared in 115 games for the Yankees as a utility player and struggled similarly across 330 big league plate appearances, slashing just .211/.275/.299 in that time.
Even as Cashman suggests the club is set at third with their internal options, Hoch reports that the club is at least considering adding one more bat to their infield mix: Kiner-Falefa. Jon Heyman of the New York Post echoes Hoch’s report of interest in bringing IKF back to the Bronx, but makes clear that the Yankees are far from alone in their interest in the utilityman; Heyman suggests that as many as 12 teams have interest in Kiner-Falefa’s services this offseason. The 28-year-old doesn’t contribute much at the plate, as he posted an 82 wRC+ in 2023 that nearly matches his career mark of 81, but he makes up for that lack of offensive ability with strong glovework all around the diamond.
Kiner-Falefa began his big league career as a backup catcher, though he hasn’t appeared behind the plate since the 2019 season. Since then, he’s proved to be an elite defensive infielder, winning a Gold Glove at third base in 2020 while offering strong defense at shortstop as well. IKF further expanded his defensive profile in 2023, appearing in 78 games on the outfield grass including 278 1/3 defensive innings of work in center field. While Kiner-Falefa’s strongest defensive marks come on the infield dirt, he posted a respectable +1 OAA and -1 DRS in center this season, potentially making him an attractive bench piece for teams in need of defensive versatility.
IKF isn’t the only outgoing free agent the Yankees reportedly have interest in retaining, as both Heyman and Hoch suggest the club has discussed a reunion with lefty reliever Wandy Peralta. Peralta, 32, has spent parts of eight seasons in the big leagues splitting time between three organizations but saw his career reach a new level since joining the Yankees partway through the 2021 season. Across 165 appearances in pinstripes, Peralta posted a 2.82 ERA that was 49% better than league average by measure of ERA+, though his 4.00 FIP leaves something to be desired. Advanced metrics are particularly critical of Peralta’s 2023 campaign. Despite a sterling 2.83 ERA in 54 innings, the southpaw posted a 5.05 FIP, 4.50 xFIP and 4.44 SIERA this past season.
Much of that disparity is thanks to a whopping 13.2% walk rate that was papered over in terms of Peralta’s raw run prevention numbers thanks to a microscopic .218 BABIP allowed and a career-high 85.2% strand rate. Despite those red flags, however, Peralta has gotten results in each of the past four seasons with a 3.01 ERA dating back to the start of the 2020 season. Much of that success has been thanks to Peralta’s excellence against left-handed hitters, to whom he’s surrendered a slash line of just .213/.308/.330 throughout his big league career. That’s surely a particularly attractive trait for the Yankees, who currently sport just two left-handed relief options on their 40-man roster in Nick Ramirez and Matt Krook.
Bigtimeyankeefan
That’s crazy, we need a 3b badly
deweybelongsinthehall
Not if you’re confident DJL can stay healthy (big if). I would re-sign IKF who is very good for what he is (just don’t expect him to be a HOF SS). Personally, I’d love to replace Refsneider (sorry about the spelling) in Boston with IKF even at the higher cost.
PoisonedPens
LeMahieu had pretty uninspiring numbers last few years and is in his mid 30s. Rizzo is 34, had a 94 OPS and missed several months of the season., This is where Cashman is constantly whiffing in recent years; you cannot expect older players to suddenly be healthy and you cannot fill extended holes in the lineup with scrap heap guys like the Jake Bauers of the world.
99CaptainJudge99
We got one right here in IKF. You know he’s won a gold glove playing there before? DJ and Cabby can spell him there at times also.
Blue Baron
You don’t have IKF “right here” anymore. He’s a free agent, so the Yankees have no more contractual rights than any other team to him.
99CaptainJudge99
@Blue- IKF wants to comeback he’s said. Hey are you feeling confident in the Mutts signing Yamamoto? I heard it’s a done deal? Figured you would know considering your Cohen’s Twin Brother.
Blue Baron
@99: Unless and until IKF signs, you don’t have him. And I have no idea what Yamamoto will do.
JPR
You know that the gold glove is based on a vote and not data, right? Volpe just won a gold glove despite being nothing like the best defensive SS in the AL.
TrillionaireTeamOperator
The idea that the Yankees’ best option could be to bring IKF back is scary, sad, infuriating, etc..
DJLM was one of the hottest free agent tickets and earned his $90M but it should have been over only 4 or 5 seasons, not 6 seasons. Even in that scenario, he’d still be returning for his second to final or final guaranteed year, so they gotta hope to get more classic results out of him. I’ll take 5 or 6 fewer home runs for an extra 40 to 100 points on batting average.
How can the Yankees be so expensive with so many seemingly un-fillable holes?
deweybelongsinthehall
Trillion. Your name says it all. 3B is not a priority. Assuming they get Soto, a starter is all they need if Judge can man CF. The best team on paper rarely wins the WS. In my view, the Soto money should be spent on Keirmeier (sorry for spelling) and to improve the starting staff).
99CaptainJudge99
@Trillionaire- we don’t need a All-star player at every position you know? We got our Paul O’Neill yesterday(Voodoo Verdugo) it’s definitely time to calm down people. Lol. Hopefully Belli or Soto will be next.
Mrivers
Always figured 3B would be DJ’s.
Falefa is a decent option for some teams, but not one with basically a bottom seven or so offense.
Cashman better get Soto or no playoffs again.
stymeedone
Soto didn’t get the Padres to the playoffs. It’s not him or bust.
JPR
Never let facts get in the way of a good story. A subset of Yankee fandom firmly believes (and does every single offseason)) that the newest shiniest toys must be signed at any cost to restore some imagined dominance.
rocky7
And a seemingly growing subset of Yankee haters seems to think that any plan the Yankees have season to season sucks and that the team is destined for mediocrity…….get over it already………
Mrivers
Facts are that Soto is a top 10 hitter who would likely benefit from playing in YS.
But whatever make up your own “facts”.
Mrivers
Got a better option?
It’s bust then, same as last season.
99CaptainJudge99
@stymeedone- why are the Rays trying to trade all their good players, Randy, Glasnow, etc? I thought they were going to start spending $ now?
PoisonedPens
TB is following the formula that has been successful for it; wait til guys are into the arb/pre-free agent years, trade them for prospects like both Arozarena and Glasnow were once, and run it back again, while smoking everyone with pitching. Cashman certainly hasn’t figured out how to beat them.
rocky7
That Rays plan may not work now that the division has much improved BlueJay, and Oriole teams with perennial powers such as the Yankees and Red Sox already in…..they may in fact stumble a bit and end up further back in the pack then their egos project……
The Saber-toothed Superfife
Against left handed batting.
Dmac13
Verdugo will help as a lefty bat. He is not a superstar but they need to get away from having 30 million plus salaries at every position. Verdugo can play cf in a pinch as well bit will be LF. Go and get Yamamoto. Why not try to make a trade with Miami peraza and a backup catcher and a pitching prospect perhaps gil for aj puk or Andrew Nardi both lefties as we could use a lefty bullpen option and vidal brujan. That guy can be the new utility as he plays all over the infield and outfield and is a switch hitter. I know he doesn’t have great numbers but is young and it could just be one of those old baseball trades…
Mrivers
Go get Yamamoto but don’t need 30 mil at every position.
FYI Yankees already have 2 SPs making more than 25 mil/yr. Why another?
Why not develop and give opportunity to Thorpe, Vazquez, or Hampton?
Perksy
Because those guys are all getting traded for Soto
Mrivers
Oh, they are? When?
178iq
As you can see no one wants to sign with the Yankees. Only junk players through bunk trades… IKF barely hits his weight and has Ø power and he’s a conversation as an everyday player? Now you know something is severely wrong. Gleyber barely hit. And Volpe hit what, .215 ? Yankees are in serious Trouble this year too.
JoshHosh
Gleyber barely hit? He hit .273 with 25 home runs lmao
Fat Lever
Infantile trolling hoping to get a response out of someone. Ok, here’s one: 1) IKF is being talked about by several teams as a utility guy, not everyday. 2) “As you can see, no body wants to sign with the Yankees. No, I don’t see that. Nor does anyone else. 3) Gleyber didn’t hit?. Pls stop. 4) Volpe goes 20/20 and wins a Gold Glove as a rookie. Anything else?
Mrivers
I mean IKF doesn’t have 10 total HRs the last 2 seasons while hitting .265 while grading out well at maybe 2 positions.
Sounds like the epitome of a part timer.
99CaptainJudge99
Ok let’s set something straight lst. The Yankees are not trying to sign players for a lot of $ and coming up empty. I think you confusing the Yankees with the San Francisco Giants now. (Arson Judge & Carlos Correa) Gleyber barely hit? Maybe you need to replay the Yankees video tape of 2023 again? Maybe it’s time to go back to bed again?
mlbnyyfan
Either Verdugo is part of a Soto trade or no Soto at all. I like the move. Forget Soto and Bellinger. Sign Chapman and Keirmeier for one Bellinger. Yankees line up looking great.
Salzilla
Chapman is awful, I want nothing to do with that guy, especially if it’s for multiple years. 1st and 3rd should be a priority for then to upgrade though in the next year. Cashman being confident with declining DJ and Rizzo is scary af. I don’t mind IKF back for a year while this stuff gets sorted properly.
Ncsaint
Gleyber could go 40-40, cure cancer, and solve cold fusion, and people would still be angry at him. I am starting to think we have taken Boston’s place as second worst fan base.
(Obviously no one can ever approach Philly.)
Mrivers
Yankees player development is far inferior.
Cashman abuses prospects or trades them.
If Yankees miss on trades and FAs like the last 2 seasons, it gets ugly.
StudWinfield
IKF is absolutely fine as a 26th man utility guy on a good team. That’s what he’s being looked at for.Having him back will have zero impact on building an offensive roster of 9-10 everyday players.
kripes-brewers
C’mon man. The Yankees can do better than IKF. That’s a small market move. What happened to the Bronx Bombers?!
robc
OAA, DRS, FIP, SIERA?? Absolutely ridiculous! Watch the damn game. I bet half of the people who write about or keep track of these obscure stats can’t even throw a ball!!
Eighty Raw
The people that are so invested in baseball that they devise new statistics to help better understand sport most certainly watch the game. Ability to throw a ball (ableist) has nothing to do with evaluation.
richardc
This is actually a very pivotal time for the Yankees, and this is a time when every decisiin you make can be magnified moving forward.
Trading the wrong prospects, signing the wrong free agents, etc. it isn’t going to be as big of a deal for the Yankees, because they can always overspend to male up for some mistakes, but it is still an important offseason nonetheless.
They are right at the cusp of being able to sustain another competitive team, but Cashman and their scouts have to earn their pay.
If they jump the gun and overpay for Soto, it could cost them dearly moving forward. They really need to be able to produce home grown talent, especially pitching and choosing to keep the right position players in order to keep their competitive window open.
It is going to be fascinating to watch as a baseball fan, but I think Cashman can make all the right moves if he plays his cards correctly and doesn’t get in a hurry or desperate.
He cannot just make moves solely because they didn’t have the season they wanted to last year.
Yamamoto is a major key to having a successful offseason. Let’s see if he can land him.
Dmac13
Agreed and I want Yamamoto as well but if he doesn’t get Yamamoto and lands say Josh Hader and and a back end starter that can be solid and eat innings perhaps someone like Sean manaea Micheal Lorenzen on a short term deal I think they will be ok.. key thing is not to give up a ton for 1 year of Soto have to lock him up for a few years I’m ok with higher salary for 2-3 years like scherzer and Verlander did
Viveleempireevil
What about Matt Chapman? He would slot in at 3B nicely alongside Volpe and Rizzo and, possibly, Torres. If Hal is going to go all in with YammaSoto, then why not go all 2009 again. The taxes are insane but, at a certain point, why not throw the bones?
MLBTR needs to hire editors
How many times can you start a sentence with “much of that?” Learn a new phrase and proofread your work.
“Meanwhile” can’t be inserted mid-sentence, separated by commas. It needs to START the sentence.