Gary Sanchez

New York Yankees News 12/01: All you need to know in one place

December 1, 2021 by William Parlee

Second ex-Yankee pitcher goes to East rival

The New York Yankees may be haunted this season when they face ex-Yankee pitchers. Just over a week, ago the Tampa Bay Rays picked up 2021 Yankee pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber. The move by the Rays was made after the Yankees failed to offer the no-hitter pitcher a contract for the new season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that a second ex-Yankee pitcher would be playing for another AL East rival. James Paxton, who pitched for the Yankees in 2020, has been picked up by the Boston Red Sox. Paxton was 16-7 in 2019 and 2020 for the Yankees. The injury-prone pitcher’s contract was not renewed, and he moved on to the Seattle Mariners, where he started only one game. But the Red Sox will take a chance with the pitcher who had Tommy John surgery last season. The contract is for one year at $10 million with a club option for 2023. He will not start the season, but the Yankees can expect to see him on the mound at Fenway Park at some point in the future.

Gary Sanchez remains the Yankee catcher for 2022

At the end of every season, the Yankees contemplate Gary Sanchez’s future, who hasn’t had a good year with the Yankees since 2017. This past season, Sanchez handled the backstop job a bit better than in 2020, but with very inconsistent hitting, and a degraded arm, the Yankees again considered non-tendering him. Sanchez has his supporters, but most fans would like to see him gone.

In previous articles, I have said that Sanchez would not be going anywhere, mostly due to the Yankees’ need to upgrade other positions and the lack of catcher options on the market. Last night many fans were wondering if the Yankees would tender him by the deadline. The Yankees did indeed tender him, so the duo of Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka will man the backstop for the upcoming season. Sanchez was given a 27% raise, worth an estimated $8 million.

Yankee non-tender candidates sticking around

The Yankees not only tendered catcher Gary Sanchez but all of their non-tender candidates. First baseman Luke Voit and third baseman Miguel Andujar will be hanging around as well. The caveat doesn’t necessarily mean they will be playing for the team, but it does mean the Yankees will have something to fall back on should they be unsuccessful in free agency or in the trade market. Tonight the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. The Yankees will at least know they still have some options at those positions.

The Yankees also cleaned up some loose ends by giving contracts to Gio Urshela ($6.55 million), Domingo German ($1.75 million), and Lucas Luetge $905,000.

Chris Gittens won’t be playing for the Yankees

The Scranton Wilkes/Barre sensation, Chris Gittens, who got to play in a few games at Yankee Stadium last season, is no longer a Yankee and will be playing in Japan this season.

With the RailRiders, he hit .301 with 14 home runs in just 45 games. In this writer’s opinion, he was mishandled on the major league level, getting only 36 at-bats in 16 games that were scattered during the season, which never allowed him to get into his groove. He ended up hitting just .111 with just one home run. The Yankees released him.

Will the Yankees trade for shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa?

With the Yankees losing out on Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote that New York is expected to contact the Texas Rangers inquiring about shortstop Kiner-Falefa. Andy Martino echoed the report on Tuesday, saying that the Yankees had already contracted the Rangers.

With the acquisition of Cory Seager, the Rangers no longer need their 2020 shortstop. Should the Yankees work out a deal with the Rangers, make no mistake about it, the Rangers went after Seager to replace Kiner-Falefa, who is not the greatest shortstop, but for the Yankees would certainly be an upgrade from Gleyber Torres. Kiner-Falefa is a very good defender but not great offensively.

A big plus with the 26-year-old is that he stays healthy and is very durable. He played in all but six games in the last two seasons. In 2021 he had a slash line of .271/.312/.357 with 8 homers and 53 RBIs. He also stole 20 bases. Compared to Gleyber Torres, he would be a solid addition to the team.

Yankees sign infielder Jose Peraza to a minor league contract

The New York Yankees guaranteed themselves a backup at shortstop with the signing of Jose Peraza. Peraza is also a utility player that can play just about anywhere, but don’t be mistaken, Peraza is no upgrade from Tyler Wade.

Between 2019 and 2021, Peraza played in just over 200 games with only 13 homers and a batting average of just over .225. His last good season was in 2018 when he was with the Cincinnati Reds. He hit .288/.326/.416 with 14 homers. If he ever reaches the big team for the Yankees he will be a bench piece. For the time being, he will share the infield with another Peraza, Oswald for the Rail Riders.

Could Chris Taylor replace Tyler Wade?

The New York Yankee history shows that the front office loves players that can play multiple positions responsibly. In that end, they may target the former Dodger player Chris Taylor. Taylor is probably the most versatile player of all 2021 free agents.

In 2021 he played 33 games at second base, 9 at third base, 19 at shortstop, 16 in left field, 48 in center, and a few games in right field at Dodger Stadium. Although not above average at all positions, he is adequate wherever the Yankees might need him.

CBA expiration looming, will there be a lockout?

As of right now, it appears MLB will be in a lockdown when the sun rises tomorrow. Going into the last day of negotiations, the sides are still far apart on several issues. Two important ones to be resolved is that the players want more money earlier in their careers, and the owners want to keep that money. Yes, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it is all about money.

Another sticky point, players for decades have generally been fine with a six-year path to free agency – but not when teams so blatantly manipulate the service time of budding stars to make it a seven-year slog suddenly. For the most part, in the last several agreements, the owners have pretty much had their own way. This time the players are not going to take it anymore, thus the likely hood of a lockout.

If there is a lockout, all transactions will cease. The last time there was a work stoppage, it was when the players refused to play. It was 1994 during August in a season without baseball, without a World Series that lasted until it delayed the start of the 1995 season. Ruffling fans, many left the game for other sports. Although a stoppage rewards neither side, it looks inevitable. The big loser is the fans themselves, especially if the issues can’t be hammered out by spring training.

Yankees News: Cashman eyes monster first baseman, Sanchez’s return is troubling

December 1, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

Yankees bring back three controversial players, avoiding arbitration

December 1, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

The New York Yankees had a few difficult decisions to make this off-season, with multiple players headed toward arbitration. Instead of carrying their contract negotiations into the new year, general manager Brian Cashman tendered three players, retaining a bit of depth after allowing Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Rougned Odor to walk this off-season.

Three players the Yankees signed to one-year deals:

1.) Gary Sanchez

One of the most controversial players the Yankees have is slugger Gary Sanchez. The catcher has been wildly inconsistent as an offensive player over the past six seasons, hitting .204 with 23 homers and 54 RBIs in 2021.

Sanchez hit a measly .147 in 2020 during the Covid abbreviated season, with his last positive campaign coming back in 2017.

Ultimately, Sanchez has not developed into the player the Yankees hoped he would be, and Cashman has already indicated he is doing research about potential catching options in case they need to make a change for the 2022 campaign.

While Sanchez’s defense has improved in some areas, he posted just a 17% caught stealing rate this past year, the lowest of his career by a significant margin.

Interestingly, Sanchez will earn $8 million for the 2022 season, earning far above his production levels.

2.) Luke Voit

After winning the home run title in 2020, Luke Voit barely made an impact with the Yankees in 2021. Over just 213 at-bats, Voit posted a .239 average with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Cashman went out and acquired Anthony Rizzo at the trade deadline to replace Voit after suffering multiple injuries early in the year.

At this point, Voit seems to be a designated hitter or reserve first baseman, so bringing him back for one season wasn’t a bad move.

3.) Miguel Andujar

Another player that has failed to live up to his potential is Miguel Andújar.

Andújar has tested his abilities at multiple spots, including first base, outfield, and third base. Unfortunately, his defense is simply a liability, and his offense isn’t good enough to make up for his lack of balance.

This past season, Andújar enjoyed just 154 at-bats, recording a .253 average with six homers and 12 RBIs. After posting an incredible .297 average with 27 homers in 2018, his progression has stalled significantly.

While the Bombers offered him a new one-year deal, his value comes as a last resort after failing at multiple defensive alignments.

Yankees News: Cashman could let Gary Sanchez go, a starting pitcher the Yankees should target

November 29, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

At some point, the New York Yankees are going to have to make a decision on catcher Gary Sanchez, who has regressed over the past few seasons. This past year, Sanchez finished with a .204 batting average, including 23 homers and 54 RBIs. While his slugging percentage finished at .423, his best since 2019, he still failed to propel himself to long-term solution status.

General manager Brian Cashman would love for him to be the future catcher, but at this point, he has to consider alternative options with just one year of arbitration left on his contract. The team isn’t confident they can rely on Kyle Higashioka, and Sanchez saw his defensive metrics struggle in some areas. In 2021, the 28-year-old played in 879 innings, recording a 17% caught stealing rate, the lowest of his career by more than 10%. While he was far better at stopping passed balls, allowing just 8 to get by him, he hasn’t become a balanced player that can hit and defend consistently.

With that being said, there is a chance the Yankees non-tender him, trading for an option like Pirates’ Jacob Stallings.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal believes that the Yankees could non-tender Gary Sanchez, trading for a replacement:

The Athletics’ Sean Murphy and Pirates’ Jacob Stallings are among the catchers available in trade, and the Cubs’ Willson Contreras might be, too, if he does not agree to a contract extension. Among the remaining free agents, Yan Gomes, 34, and Roberto Pérez, who turns 33 on Dec. 23, are perhaps the leading options. The shortage of quality catching might prompt the Yankees to again offer a contract to Gary Sánchez, who is projected to earn $7.9 million in arbitration. A trade for say, Stallings, could lead to a non-tender of Sánchez, who then would be a strong candidate to join the exodus of former Yankees to the Marlins.

Stallings is an interesting option at 32-years-old. This past season, he recorded a .246 average with eight homers and 53 RBIs. He serves more as a contact hitter, but he’s also a stellar defender, recording a .995 fielding percentage with zero passed balls in 892 innings. Earning his first Gold Glove, he would offer a significant upgrade behind the plate compared to Sanchez but doesn’t have the power to supplement his home run totals.

The Yankees should shift their focus to Robbie Ray:

With Max Scherzer signing a $130 million, three-year deal, the Yankees may shift their attention to lefty ace Robbie Ray. After winning the Cy Young award this past season, Ray is looking for a long-term contract with a new team. He posted a career-best 2.84 ERA with the Toronto Blue Jays this past year, earning an 11.54 strikeout per nine rate. He also logged a career-best 90.1% left on-base percentage and 37.2% ground ball rate.

Overall, Ray represents arguably the best starting pitcher on the market currently, but natural regression is a concern. Looking at his statistics, his fastball hovered around 95 mph, the highest it’s ever been. He stopped using his curveball as frequently and relied heavily on his fastball and slider, which did him well.

Considering the Yankees just presented $25 million for Justin Verlander, there is a chance they enter the fold for Ray, who will likely land at a slightly lower price point.

New York Yankees could lose three familiar players as soon as Tuesday

November 29, 2021November 27, 2021 by William Parlee

The New York Yankees could lose three fixtures with questionable futures this coming week. With the MLB/MLBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring Wednesday, they agreed to move up the day that players can be non-tendered to the day before the CBA expires. Non-tendered players are not given offers to stay with their respective teams.

The Yankees have three players that may be considered to be non-tendered. Miguel Andujar, Luke Voit, and Gary Sanchez. The Yankees already have rid themselves of three other players that they believe have little returning value going forward. Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, and Rougned Odor have already been shown the door through assignment.

Miguel Andujar

Miguel Andujar, the once-heralded Yankee third baseman of the future, has fallen out of favor, mostly because of injury and lack of playing time. Some may say he still has potential, but when the Gold Glove-like Gio Urshela replaced him at the hot corner, his fate was pretty well sealed.

The Yankees, still seeing potential in the young man, tried to resurrect his career in the outfield and even at first base, but he has failed to shine in those positions as he got less and less playing time. In 2017 he played in a career-high 149 games, hitting 27 home runs, giving hope that he could be the next big Yankee star. But in his other four years at the major league level, he has only been able to play in 83 games combined, 45 last season.

If the Yankees try to salvage him, as he has little trade value, he likely wouldn’t be tendered an offer for much more than a million dollars, but that does not seem likely.

Luke Voit

In 2022 you may not be hearing the “Luke Luke” chant from the Yankee Stadium stands, as he is also a candidate to be non-tendered. The once starting first baseman, although a monster of a man, the lower half of his body has failed him. Whether it be his knees or his feet, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.

The 2020 home run leader played in only about one-third of the games last season. In his six years with the team, he has only played over 100 games in one season. At the trade deadline last season, he was replaced at first by Anthony Rizzo, who came over from the Chicago Cubs. Much of what happens with Voit may have to do with whether the Yankees plan to resign Rizzo, a solid defender. The Yankees do have other options in the free-agent market that they may consider, but Voit’s time with the team is likely over.

Gary Sanchez

Look for Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka to again team up to catch next season. With Gary Sanchez’s less than stellar defense at the backstop, questionable boneheaded plays, and spotty hitting, Sanchez’s future with the team has been in question annually. Of these three players, Sanchez has the best chance of staying with the team, mostly because there are few upgrades on the free-agent market and few to be traded for.

One thing is for sure, with some deadwood already gotten rid of, and with a possible new backup center fielder, star or stop-gap shortstop, and a new starting pitcher, not to mention bullpen upgrades, the 2022 Yankee team will look very different from the teams of the past few years.

New York Yankees 11/24: Gary Sanchez, Corey Seager, Freddie Freeman, and more

November 24, 2021November 24, 2021 by William Parlee

At the end of the season, the New York Yankees energized fans by saying the purse was open and the Yankees would be spending to improve the team for 2022. As the postseason drags on, and the Yankees have not yet made any splashes, fans are quickly becoming disenfranchised as the Yankees seem to be drawing back on their promise to hire some high profile players.

Gary Sanchez going nowhere

This writer is not sure what all the talk this week about Gary Sanchez is leading. Folks, he is not going anywhere. There are three main reasons. 1. The organization is still standing behind him with their support, even though he doesn’t deserve it. 2. There just aren’t many catchers out there this offseason that would be better than Sanchez. 3. The Yankees have much bigger fish to fry: SS, first base, oh and yeah, a number two type starter for the rotation.

Carlos Correa or Corey Seager won’t be in pinstripes

At the beginning of the postseason, the Yankees seemed primed to go after the best shortstop in the business, Carlos Correa, if not him then Corey Seager of nearly the same quality. But now both seem to be in the Yankees rearview mirror, and it’s not entirely clear why.

Are the Yankees sincere in not wanting to block Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza from making the bigs when they are ready or are the Yankees pulling back because the don’t want to spend the money after all?

Will postseason acquisitions come to a halt?

All the acquisitions, by purchase or trade, may be coming to a screaming halt. We are now one week away from the agreement that allows the owners and players to put on a baseball season. Yes, the expiration of the CBA comes on December 1.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has said the negotiations for a new contract are going very slow, and the sides are far apart. He also said it seems a lock-out is likely. If that happens, all transactions will also come to a halt. The last time there was an MLB work stoppage was in 1994, starting in August with no World Series and halting the start of the 1995 season.

Max Scherzer to the Dodgers?

It may not be of much interest to Yankee fans that industry sources say that free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer will likely end up with the Dodgers. What is concerning is that general manager Brian Cashman said getting a number two type starting pitcher was one of his priorities.

With Scherzer landing on the west coast, it’s just another Yankee pitching target that will be going off the market and not available to the Yankees. Noah Syndergaard of the Mets has already signed with the Angels, Justin Verlander with the Astros, and Eduardo Rodriguez with the Detroit Tigers.

Is Freddie Freeman the Yankees’ dream first baseman?

I think we can all agree that Yankee first baseman Luke Voit’s days with the Yankees are over. He was never a great defender and has had a great deal of difficulty staying healthy. Although several Yankees have replaced him, the Yankee via trade settled on Anthony Rizzo, who is now a free agent. The question is, Rizzo is not the hitter he once was, even though his defense at first is stellar. Also, will the Yankees want to pay the big bucks he will likely ask for?

The Yankees could stick with DJ LeMahieu, who is a Gold Glove second baseman. He is adequate, but his offense isn’t exactly exciting either. If the Yankees want a power-hitting lefty with the defense of Mark Teixiera, there is a free agent out there. His name is Freddie Freeman of the Braves that is now a free agent. Freeman and the short porch at the Stadium are the perfect match, and unlike Rizzo, his hitting is not in decline, anyone that watched the World Series knows that. In 2021 Freeman hit .300 with 31 home runs.

If the Yankees spend big for a shortstop, Freeman is probably not an option, but if they go with a stop-gap option at short, Freeman would make a perfect Yankee. Another wise addition could have been Belt of the Giants, but he just signed an $18 million one-year deal to stay with the Giants.

Yankees may be running out of options to upgrade at the catcher position

November 22, 2021 by Andres Chavez

Gary Sanchez, who has been the New York Yankees’ starter at the catcher position since 2016, had another disappointing season in 2021. It was far from a disaster, like the shortened 2020 campaign, but he was basically an average hitter (.204/.307/.423, 99 wRC+) and a poor defensive backstop.

Depending on which defensive metric you choose, or if you prioritize blocking, game-calling, or framing, he was either passable or very bad. Since his bat was about average, the Yankees sure could use an upgrade.

That’s a decision the Yankees need to make, and while they still have most of the offseason in front of them, the alternatives at catcher are starting to come off the board. While unlikely, it’s within the realm of possibilities that the team non-tenders Sanchez, too.

Catchers are starting to fly off the board for the Yankees

MLB Trade Rumors informed in the past couple of days that “the Braves announced that they’ve signed veteran catcher Manny Pina to a two-year contract worth $8MM. (Atlanta is one of the few organizations that publicly discloses financial terms.) Pina will earn $3.5MM in 2022 and $4.5MM in 2023. The contract also has a $4MM club option for the 2024 season, which does not come with a buyout.”

Additionally, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that “catcher Pedro Severino and the Milwaukee Brewers are in agreement on a one-year, $1.9 million contract, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Severino, 28, will join Omar Narvaez at catcher and has incentives in the deal that can earn him another $400,000.”

Here is a peek of what’s available for the Yankees via free agency: Yan Gomes, Luke Maile, Stephen Vogt, Jeff Mathis, Rob Brantly, Roberto Pérez, Wilson Ramos, Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos, Kurt Suzuki, Andrew Knapp, Chance Sisco, Sandy León, and Austin Romine.

That’s not a particularly solid group. The trade market may be another option for the Yankees, but there may not be too many options besides Willson Contreras and Jacob Stallings. However, both have multiple seasons left of team control and may not be easy to acquire.

At this point, sticking with Sanchez and trying to “fix” both his offense and defense is perhaps the Yankees’ best option.

New York Yankees: Does any fan think the Yankees have 5 Silver Sluggers?

October 28, 2021 by William Parlee

When the Silver Slugger Award finalists were announced, the New York Yankees found that five Yankees were on that list. Really? Is there any Yankee fan that deep down thinks that Gary Sanchez, Joey Gallo, and DJ LeMahieu should receive those awards? There are three other teams that have five finalists. There is obviously something wrong with the selection process.

Obviously, the other two New York Yankees on the list, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton deserve being on that list and being named a Silver Slugger. The other three not so much. Let’s take a look at the record.

Gary Sanchez had a batting average of .204, with 23 home runs and driving in only 54 in 383 at-bats. He had a wRC+ that is below league average and showed a scarcity of production for a catcher. The only reason for possible consideration is his home runs that are third among AL catchers, that are not known for hitting home runs. But when you average all the production his inclusion on the list is unexplainable.

DJ Lemahieu is a good baseball player there is no argument in that. But batting one hundred points lower than last season and only hitting 10 home runs while hitting into a multitude of double plays hardly qualifies for being a finalist. His wRC+ is just average and ties with Jed Lourie for sixth in the AL for 2nd baseman. Also, consider he played at second base less than half of the season.

Maybe the strangest selection is Joey Gallo. Gallo hit a paltry .160 for the New York Yankees. He played a great left field for the Yankees but that is not what he was nominated for, his finalist selection was for DH, in the same category as Giancarlo Stanton, Shohei Ohtani, Nelson Cruz, and Yordan Alverez. Really? Did anyone notice that he was a DH only 14 times for the Yankees this season? What were they thinking? At least Gleyber Torres wasn’t selected in the SS category.

If I was to relent on any of these three; it would be DJ Lemahieu, and not for what he was a finalist for, but for his overall good play and his good defense at all infield corners, when called upon. If he was to be a finalist in anything, it should be utility player, a category that does not exist.

This is not the first time this awkwardness has cropped up. In 2019 LeMahieu won the award at second base, when he only played there 75 times. 92 times; he played at first or third base. In 2015 Nelson Cruz won the award as an outfielder even though he only play 80 games in the outfield. In 2018 J.D. Martinez won the award twice, for both an outfielder and a designated hitter, despite playing just 57 games in the field that year. I think you get the picture.

There are solutions to be found. One is to create some new categories, like utility player or part-time DH. this would solve the problem of multi-positional players. It would lead to more authentic selections.

Many in the industry believe the selection system is flawed, and that they have a roadmap to fix it. Right now, the winners are voted upon by Major League managers and coaches, who are unable to vote for players on their own teams to select the finalists. That is fine, but allows too many human factors into the process. Many years ago the Gold Glove awards were experiencing the same flaws. They have mostly solved the problem by integrating stats into the formula. They now name the finalists with 25% of the conclusion based solely on stats. A decade ago Rawlings linked together with the Society for American Baseball Research to produce a process that considered the SDI (SABR Defensive index) for advanced metrics. This did not overtake the vote but made the difference in the selection process.

In the Silver Slugger situation Louisville Sluggers who sponsors the award can use the Gold Glove Rawlings roadmap the fix the annual awards and stop the embarrassment. All that is needed is for MLB and Louisville Sluggers to make the leap into the 21st century.

New York Yankees: Could 2022 be the go big year for the Yankees?

October 23, 2021 by William Parlee

2021 was another disappointing year for the New York Yankees. After several years of not surviving the postseason, this past year, they didn’t make it past the wild card and lost to the rival Boston Red Sox in the winner-take-all game. It has now stretched to over a decade since the Yankees have even been in a World Series contest for the Yankees and their fans. Many marginal fans are ready to discard the Yankees as their team as their frustration boils over. Is it time for the Yankees to finally do something to reverse that trend?

Much of this is in the hands of managing partner Hal Steinbrenner who has experienced ever-increasing calls from Yankee fans that he sell the team to someone who will put forth the funds for a team that can bring a 28th World Championship back to New York. You can be sure he won’t decide based on fan approval, but as the team fails to win, he is starting to lose the revenues that the team enjoyed in their winning years. A new manager won’t help because they have decided to keep Aaron Boone around for another three years. So, it’s all about the players and coaches.

The New York Yankees haven’t done much to improve the team in the last five years, other than hiring starting pitcher Gerrit Cole in December of 2019. All of this while holding on to some questionable players like Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, and Gleyber Torres. There is a multitude of problems the Yankees must solve before the start of the 2022 season just to put the team back together. They don’t have a regular everyday centerfielder; they don’t have a number two dependable starter needed to get to the postseason and win. And now they must also replace the departing coaching staff.

But beyond that, the Yankees need to do much more to produce a championship team. At the end of this season, the Yankees finally decided to discard their experiment with their shortstop and move Gleyber Torres back to second base. Unfortunately, the decision led to most infielders playing in positions they were not entirely familiar with. That is not a winning strategy. The Yankees finally need to hire an actual shortstop and one that is not just adequate but a star player that can defend and produce for the Yankees.

Yankees need a shortstop

This offseason, the market for shortstops will be insane as several teams need to fill or upgrade that position. If the Yankees are going to win out, they are going to have to be aggressive. There are several routes the Yankees could take, but if you have been watching the postseason, one player that stands out from all others is Carlos Correa of the Astros. You don’t have to look at the stats; he is a bonafide star that could help the Yankees to another World Series. Looking at the stats, this season, he has in 148 games played he has a .279 batting average, 26 home runs, and drove in nearly 100 runs. He has an overall 7.5 WAR for 3rd in the American League. One big plus for the Yankees is that Correa has said he would love to play in New York, not explicitly mentioning the Yankees.

An MLB.com baseball insider and contributor to CBS Sports, Jon Heyman, has said the New York Yankees could be interested in Correa. But, the Yankees won’t be alone; the Detroit Tigers have also made it known that they are interested in the shortstop. But, there is a catch for the Yankees; Correas has ties to A. J. Hinch, who is the Tiger manager and former manager of the Houston Astros. Other star options for the Yankees could be Trevor Story, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, or if the Yankees chose to go cheap, Javier Baez.

The Gary Sanchez dilemma

It seems like forever that the conversation turns to replace Gary Sanchez as the starting catcher at the end of every season. Yet it never changes as the Yankees have indicated their continual support of the failing Sanchez. But after another losing year, that may be changing. In an after-season news conference, general manager Brian Cashman was asked if Gary Sanchez would be the 2022 starting catcher. For the first time, Cashman would not answer the question, saying they would look at all positions.

Unlike shortstop, there are not many options for the Yankees; there are very few catchers available or are upgrades to Sanchez. One such option that fits the bill is Buster Posey. He has a $22 million option to return to the San Francisco Giants; many in the know say the Giants may not be willing to exercise that option. Posey is a star defender that hit .304 this season with 18 home runs. Posey is 34 years old and would not be a long-term solution for the Yankees, but a shorter contract would make an excellent pairing with Kyle Higashioka and mentor to up-and-coming Austin Wells.

This season with the Scranton Railriders, Wells, in 103 games, hit .264 with 18 home runs; he also burnt up the Arizona Fall League. Whether it is centerfielder, shortstop, or the catching position, it will be up to Hal Steinbrenner and, to a degree Brian Cashman if they want spend and make the big moves to bring a championship back to the Bronx.

Yankees could consider Hall of Fame Level catcher to pair with Gary Sanchez in 2021

October 22, 2021 by Alexander Wilson

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has one more season of arbitration eligibility before he becomes a free agent on the open market. At this point in time, Sanchez doesn’t seem to be the long-term solution at catcher for the Bombers, as he posted a .204 batting average with 23 homers last season.

At 28-years-old, Sanchez has struggled considerably as a hitter, and his defense has been inconsistent as well. He did seem a bit more comfortable behind the plate this year but did allow just eight passed balls over nearly 900 innings. Back in 2018, he contributed 18 passed balls in 653 innings, so his defensive qualities have elevated to a degree.

However, he allowed a career-high 50 stolen bases this past season with a 17% caught stealing percentage, the lowest of his career. With just one year left on his contract, the Yankees might feel it necessary to bring in a veteran with solid defensive traits and a calm mindset as a batter.

NJ.com proposed the idea of the Yankees targeting Buster Posey. Per the San Francisco Chronicle:

Sure, he’ll be 35 and playing a position that becomes ever more demanding with age, but … his leadership skills and contagious calm are off the charts, he imparts confidence to the pitchers and the rest of the lineup, and his pitch calling and framing are as good as ever. The Giants demonstrated that care with his playing time can keep him fresh throughout a long season, and Posey demonstrated that — with a fully healthy hip — he still can hit like a kid.

As stated, Posey will be 35-years-old but is coming off a season where he hit .304 with 18 homers and 56 RBIs. He earned an All-Star award and also contributes solid defense. Posey allow just two passed balls over 892 innings, posting a 31% strikeout rate, allowing 31 stolen bases. Despite Posey being about seven years older than Sanchez, he still presents a far more efficient option.

Having been coined an MVP, seven-time All-Star, and Gold Glove award-winning player, the Yankees might be able to spend a bit of cash on Posey if San Francisco elects to decline his $22 million club option for the 2022 season.