The New York Yankees still have to answer their big question at shortstop this off-season, and with the majority of stopgap options off the market already, the chances of landing a big name are dwindling. The longer Carlos Correa and Trevor Story remain available, the less likely general manager Brian Cashman scoops one up. Normally, the Yankees are extremely aggressive with their process but have taken a more cautious approach in recent days.
However, given the Yankees’ quiet strategy, it is possible they stick with a player already on the roster, as manager Aaron Boone attested to during spring training on Sunday.
“Gio,” Boone said Sunday when asked about his shortstop right now. “Gleyber [Torres] will have to mix in there. Obviously we’ve got some young guys that are knocking on the door that we’re really excited about, [Oswald] Peraza and [Oswaldo] Cabrera that are here. We’ll just let that situation shake out. I’m sure there’s still things to be done across the game and certainly with us that are going to change that landscape potentially along the way.”
The Bombers are still extremely excited about their young prospects climbing the farm system, but Urshela could be a stop-gap solution if they want to take a more cost-efficient approach. The 30-year-old infielder has only 41 games of experience at shortstop under his belt, accounting for 285 innings. During that small sample size, Gio has posted a .968 fielding percentage with three errors.
Last season, Urshela took over after the failed Gleyber Torres experiment, spending 28 games at SS, logging a .970 fielding percentage with two errors. His primary position is third base, but he would easily be the most cost-effective route if the Bombers are willing to wait for Peraza to get a crack at the starting gig.
Nonetheless, it seems as if Boone is happy going with Urshela if need be, but he did mention that the landscape could change in the coming days as rumors have mentioned interest in Correa.