The Yankees are still working to patch some roster holes with spring training just weeks away, particularly at third base where they lack depth.
They’ve already brought back Tim Hill on a $3 million deal to shore up the bullpen, but the infield remains their primary focus. With Gleyber Torres heading to Detroit, Jazz Chisholm is expected to take over at second base after spending time at third late last season.
That leaves DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza competing for the hot corner – unless the Yankees can pull off something bigger.
The Cardinals and Yankees have reopened talks about Nolan Arenado, according to John Denton of MLB.com. After trade discussions stalled earlier this month, the teams are exploring “restructured deals” along with the Red Sox and Dodgers.
There are some significant hurdles, though. Arenado has a full no-trade clause he’d need to waive. More importantly, his contract situation is tricky for a Yankees team trying to stay under the $301 million luxury tax threshold.
A sticking point in any Arenado deal could come down to how much of the $64 million remaining on Arenado’s contract the Cardinals are willing to absorb. Initial trade talks in early January broke down when the Cardinals refused to pay as much as $20 million toward the balance of Arenado’s contract, a source said.
The 32-year-old Arenado isn’t quite the offensive force he was in his prime. His numbers have dipped since his outstanding 2022 season when he posted a 151 OPS+. That said, his defense at third base remains elite – something the Yankees could certainly use.
The way things stand, the Yankees will likely head into spring training with their current infield group unless they can find common ground with St. Louis on the financials. LeMahieu seems to be the frontrunner for the third base job, but a lot can change between now and Opening Day.
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