The New York Yankees seem to be trending in a direction of improvement, and if they manage to secure super star free agent Manny Machado, it will put an interesting question into place.
What will the Yankees do with third-baseman Miguel Andujar?
The youth star was a stud at the plate last season, hitting .297. In the field, he was less than adequate, recording 15 errors which got him benched in the final game of the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox.
Signing Machado would add a two-time Gold Glove winner to the roster, and one that traditionally plays at third-base and shortstop. With the signing of Troy Tulowitzki, it seems as if the Yankees will utilize his talents at short while Didi Gregorius heals from Tommy John surgery.
Do these moves write the script for his departure?
All of these moves write the script for a blockbuster trade including Andujar. Machado would fill the third-base spot and Tulo would fill in at short. The only objection would be that Didi will be a free agent next winter, which questions if the Yankees intend to use Machado as their long-term solution at short and allow Andujar to develop further as a fielder.
The young athlete hasn’t played a position other than third, which questions his adaptability and limits his defensive value. His primary value is hitting, and it’s possible the Yankees seek quality pitching in return for his talents. Being that he had a magnificent rookie season, trading him now would be an advisable move given his stock. Who knows if he can maintain those hitting numbers over the next 5-years — .297/.328/.527. Despite these impressive hitting stats, he costed the Yankees 25 runs at third, which was the highest mark in the MLB.
While Miguel is liked by the clubhouse and fan-base, improving a team comes with some tough decisions. Andujar could very well not be a part of the Yankees’ future.