The New York Yankees may end up missing out on every top shortstop free agent this off-season, in a year where there was an unprecedented number of talents waiting to be scooped up off the market.
General manager Brian Cashman is undoubtedly taking a more patient approach, but his strategy may end up biting him in the butt if he misses out on Carlos Correa, the last of the top-tier shortstops available.
On Monday evening, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Corey Seager, one of the Yankees’ top targets to replace Gleyber Torres at shortstop, signed a 10 year, $325 million deal with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers landed both Seager and Marcus Semien.
BREAKING: Star shortstop Corey Seager and the Texas Rangers are in agreement on a 10-year, $325 million deal, sources familiar with the situation tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 29, 2021
Seager is coming off a stellar campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .306 with 16 homers and 57 RBIs. With a lefty bat, the idea was that Seager would bring a bit of diversity to the batting order and quality defending at shortstop. However, his flexibility in the infield and potential to move over to third base was also attractive, as the team waits for Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza to reach the majors.
Now, the market has boiled down to Correa, who is taking his time finding a new team this off-season. Correa is coming off arguably an even better campaign than Seager, hitting .279 with 26 homers and 92 RBIs. Correa isn’t only a fantastic hitter with a healthy balance of power and contact, but he’s also a tremendous defender.
After seeing Corey’s contract, averaging $32.5 million per season, Correa will likely end up earning $35 million per year. This past season, Carlos recorded a .981 fielding percentage with 11 errors over 1,300 innings.
Correa is a long-term solution at SS, so moving him to the hot corner may not be advisable for the Yankees. However, he’s currently the best option on the market, and once he’s gone, the Yankees’ targets will start to dwindle quickly. Reports indicated that Cashman met with Andrelton Simmons’s representatives recently, so he could also be a potential option for the Bombers.