Never say never.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is expected to wheel and deal following the MLB lockout.
And while third base isn’t Cashman’s top priority, MLB Trade Rumors pitched a scenario which has the Yankees landing slugger Kris Bryant.
DJ LeMahieu is the best fit for third base duties at the moment, though he could also defer to Bryant and move over to first base, especially if the club pulls the trigger on a Luke Voit trade. Like the Blue Jays and Red Sox, the Yankees were also connected to Seiya Suzuki, suggesting they could also find a way to work Bryant into the outfield mix, perhaps in combination with a Joey Gallo trade.
The 30-year-old Bryant split the 2021 season between the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, hitting a combined .265 with 25 home runs in 144 games.
A four-time All-Star, Bryant was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2015 and the National League MVP win 2016, helping the Cubs win their first World Series title in 108 years.
But incorporating Bryant into the Yankees lineup isn’t as easy as it sounds. The New York Post’s Dan Martin reports “The Yankees remain averse to moving LeMahieu full-time to third base, where Gio Urshela is currently situated. General manager Brian Cashman also has said repeatedly they didn’t sign LeMahieu to be an everyday first baseman.”
LeMahieu struggled last season, hitting .268 in 150 games. But Martin reports “Most within the organization are confident LeMahieu, 33, will return to form in 2022 after undergoing surgery to repair the sports hernia that bothered him for the latter part of last season.”
Another reason the Yankees may pass on Bryant? Cashman’s top offseason priority at this point is to find a shortstop, which remains vacant with Gleyber Torres locked in at second base.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected].
