The romanticism of a Miguel Andujar reunion was palpable this winter. He fit the exact offensive profile the New York Yankees are hunting: a right-handed bat who destroys left-handed pitching and makes elite contact. Yet, while the fanbase buzzed about bringing “Miggy” home, the front office didn’t even pick up the phone. I’m convinced that this silence speaks volumes—it signals a definitive end to the era of tolerating defensive liabilities in the Bronx.
Offensively, Andujar was a machine in 2025. He slashed .318/.352/.470 with a solid .822 OPS overall, but his numbers against southpaws were straight-up video game stuff. In 90 at-bats against lefties, he hit .389 with a massive .987 OPS, striking out just 16 times. On paper, that is the exact weapon you deploy to protect a lefty-heavy lineup.
The Glove Is Still the Dealbreaker
But baseball isn’t played on a spreadsheet, and the Yankees remember the defensive headaches of 2018 all too well. Despite the offensive resurgence, Andujar remains a man without a true position. Last season, his Fielding Run Value sat in the 18th percentile, confirming that the glove hasn’t caught up to the bat.
Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News confirmed the cold shoulder on the Fireside Yankees podcast (an Empire Sports Media production), noting, “From what I was told, there weren’t any conversations with him… while the bat would have been great… he’s still a poor defender… that was never a real consideration for the Yankees.”
The Real Targets Are Emerging
With Andujar out of the picture, Cashman is narrowing his list to players who can actually catch the ball. Phillips dropped a major nugget regarding the team’s actual focus: “Ty France is somebody that they’ve spoken to as recently as Tuesday… Paul Goldschmidt remains on the market… Randal Grichuk is still out there. Austin Slater is still out there.”
This pivot to Ty France is telling. While France isn’t a Gold Glover, he offers a level of professional competence at first base that Andujar simply cannot match. The Yankees are done compromising. They want the platoon advantage, but they refuse to pay the defensive tax to get it.
The Front Office Prediction
Cashman is getting closer to a solution, but he has time on his side. The specific mention of recent talks with Ty France suggests the Yankees view him as the undervalued asset of this group. I think France joining on a major league deal is realistic during spring training, especially if Amed Rosario struggles at first base.
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