The Yankees won’t be adding an infielder before Opening Day – they’re out of money. That’s the word from MLB insider Jon Heyman, who shared the insight on The Baseball Insiders podcast.
“I don’t see it,” Heyman told Robert Murray. “The Yankees, I don’t think they’re adding anybody. I’m told they have no money.”
That lines up with what Hal Steinbrenner has been saying about payroll. The Yankees’ owner recently questioned whether massive spending actually translates to championships.
“Should I really need a $300-plus million payroll to win a championship? Does having a huge payroll really increase my chances that much of winning a championship? I’m not sure there’s a strong correlation there,” Steinbrenner told the New York Post.
The Yankees have been busy this offseason, adding Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, Devin Williams and Paul Goldschmidt after losing Juan Soto to the Mets’ mammoth 15-year, $765 million deal. But they still haven’t addressed their infield needs at second and third base.
That means they’re looking at DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera splitting time at third, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second. It’s not an ideal situation – LeMahieu hit just .204 last season, while Cabrera managed a .247 average. Neither seems ready for everyday playing time.
The way things are shaping up, the Yankees will have to hope these infielders can turn things around in 2024. With no money left to spend, they don’t have much choice.
