The New York Yankees are far from done this off-season trying to maneuver and add talent to the roster. However, injecting more value and acquiring impact players will be difficult without parting ways with prospects.
Nonetheless, general manager Brian Cashman has looked to a pair of reserve options that could be on their way out in the coming days after lowering his demands.
First baseman Luke Voit and failed utilityman Miguel Andujar are on the trade docket, and to be quite honest, it’s about time Cashman lowered his demands and moved them, given his blatant disregard for their abilities.
Rival teams say Yankees have (not surprisingly) become more “aggressive” in trying to move Luke Voit and Miguel Andujar, and not necessarily together as part of a package. One rival exec say they’ve “lowered” their demands on both (compared to in the past), on Voit especially
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) March 18, 2022
Recently, Voit made it clear he understood why the Yankees re-signed Anthony Rizzo, focusing on left-handed hitting, but that he wants an opportunity to start and that simply wasn’t going to be with the Bombers.
“I know they want to be left-handed, so I get it. This has been a thing since last year with our team being righty dominant. It’s a business.”
Voit only played in 68 games last year, hitting 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Looking back at his 2020 season, he led the MLB with 22 homers over 56 games, recording a .277 average. During the Covid abbreviated season, Voit was one of the best players in the MLB, but injuries have dampened his value, and the Yankees have been trying to move him for quite some time.
Given they have lowered the price tag on his services, a deal could be imminent.
In addition, failed infielder and experimental outfielder Miguel Andujar could also be on his way. Playing in 45 games last year, Andujar hit .253 with six homers and 12 RBIs. After his dominant 2018 season, where he recorded a .297 average with 27 homers and 92 RBIs, he has failed to replicate those statistics. His defense remains a serious liability.
A team may view Andujar as a good developmental piece at 27 years old, and with three years left of service time before he hits free agency, working on his defense and giving him the appropriate reps is essential.
The Yankees simply just don’t have the space or time to allow Andujar to develop at the big-league level, which is where he needs to be. An up-and-coming team willing to suffer through his growing pains could end up prospering, but the Yankees may not be able to get anything back more than a middle-of-the-road prospect.