The New York Yankees currently have three players competing for the starting shortstop position. Granted, one of those options is the furthest thing from a fan favorite and would likely cause many complaints from the fanbase should he get the job.
That player is Isiah Kiner-Falefa. IKF was the Yankees shortstop for the majority of 2022 before being benched in the playoffs. Despite what Aaron Boone said, IKF was one of the worst qualified defensive shortstops in baseball last season after being touted for his glove.
The Yankees acquired IKF along with Josh Donaldson before the 2022 season. IKF was touted for his glove and his bat-to-ball skills. Last year we saw him have shaky defense, at-bats filled with weak contact, and no power whatsoever.
Yankee fans are clamoring for one of their young guns to get the starting job. Whether it be Oswald Peraza or Anthony Volpe, one of them needs to be the starting shortstop to start the year. Safe money would be on Peraza, but Volpe could certainly make things interesting if he has a sensational spring.
IKF has felt like a fallback option for New York. He’s been in the majors for a long time and he’s a known commodity. It’s been reported that New York has looked at potential trades for IKF throughout the offseason and couldn’t find a willing partner. Well, yesterday, they might have found a trade partner.
Yankees and Dodgers could do business
During a Spring Training game yesterday, Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux went down clutching his knee as he was running to third base. He had to be carted off the field and industry sources have reported that the injury to Lux is severe and will keep him out of action for a long time.
Now the Dodgers have an opening at shortstop that they weren’t expecting to have. The Yankees wouldn’t ask for much in return for IKF as it would more be a salary dump for the Yanks who could save $6 million by trading him away.
To this point, there’s been no reports of talks between the two teams. However, as the week goes on, don’t be surprised if you start to see talks between the two clubs. In my opinion, it would be a trade that would greatly benefit both teams. With IKF out of the picture, Peraza and Volpe could be the two options at short without having to worry about IKF looming.