The New York Yankees recently missed out on the Justin Verlander sweepstakes, as the Houston Astros swooped back in and secured his signature for one year, $25 million including incentives.
With Verlander taking his talents back to Houston, the Yankees have now wholly shifted their attention to the shortstop market, which is expected to be active in the coming days. Reports indicated that both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien could be picked up by December 1, when the lockout is expected to commence.
Cashman stated on Thursday night the team was focused on landing a big shortstop first and foremost, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:
“We’ve played on pitching in the trade and free-agent market, but our focus is still trying to address the shortstop area more than anything else.”
The Yankees have a specific strategy in mind, signing a shortstop now who can eventually shift over to third base when Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza are able to take the leap forward. However, that plan may only work for a few free agents, notably Seager and Semien, who have experience moving around a bit and more flexibility with age.
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Carlos Correa, on the other hand, is a 10-year solution at SS, something the Yankees aren’t entirely in need of with their young prospects moving through the farm system at a brisk pace. However, if they have the opportunity to land Correa, management has already indicated they are more than happy to bring in a player of his caliber despite the cheating scandal.
With that being said, Seager makes the most sense for the team, given his lefty bat and the need for diversity in the hitting order. With Brett Gardner likely retiring, Seager can fill a massive vulnerability in the infield while adding a premium bat to the lineup that is reliable and has postseason experience.