Yankees: Maybe Kitchen Sink Can Replace Didi Gregorius

The Yankees need a replacement for their injured starting shortstop for at least a month. The whole baseball world knows that. But from the looks of it, everyone and everything but the kitchen sink is in the running.

The Yankees seem to have set their sights on finding a proven major league shortstop to replace injured Didi Gregorius for at the least the month of April and possibly extending into May.

Which means that possible substitutes from within such as Tyler Wade, Rob Refsnyder (if Starlin Castro moves to short), Ronald Torreyes and Pete Kozma are not part of the conversation. Not to mention a proven major league talent they already have in their system in Ruben Tejada, who was signed to a minor league contract (presumably) as insurance against what is happening now.

And what is going on now? Well, here’s a report from Connor Bryne that appeared (appropriately) on the MLB Trade Rumors page:

"While the suddenly shortstop-needy Yankees have interest in acquiring the Diamondbacks’ Nick Ahmed, they’re not eyeing either the Reds’ Zack Cozart or the Tigers’ Jose Iglesias. In the wake of the shoulder injury Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius suffered Saturday, Cincinnati gauged the Bombers’ interest in Cozart, and Detroit did the same with Iglesias. The Yankees turned down both teams’ overtures, reports George A. King III of the New York Post."

The New York Post was also active the day before with another story by Kevin Kiernan that shot puts two more names into the mix:

"The Yankees would probably hunt for a shortstop elsewhere–options from other teams could be someone such as White Sox middle infielder Carlos Sanchez or the Phillies’ Freddy Galvis. Both fit that bill because their teams have young shortstops on the move."

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So, in the space of two days, a total of five names have been floated out there as possible replacements for the injured Didi Gregorius. Today, I am going to add my due diligence to the mix of names by throwing Kitchen Sink, who by all means is a household name and is widely acclaimed as a versatile and reliable player into the conversation.

But even with Kitchen Sink on the list, which now covers about 20% of all major league shortstops, we’re still looking at the bottom tier of shortstops in the league. Because when CBS Sports ranked the Top 20 Fantasy League Shortstops for 2017, none of the names mentioned on the list were included.

Which, brings us back full circle to the names of players who are already accustomed to the Yankees way of doing things. And would fit in seamlessly with the team already being assembled in Tampa.

The Yankees seem to be reluctant to pull the trigger on any of their players, choosing instead to walk the well-trodden path of looking outside for a distant ray of light.

Not many teams would be able even to consider replacing their starting shortstop with a talent from within their organization. The Yankees, conceivably, have that luxury. But they seem to be reluctant to pull the trigger on any of these players, choosing instead to walk the well-trodden path of looking outside for a distant ray of light.

Look, I have been wrong so many times in predicting what Brian Cashman will do in these situations, I’ve stopped counting. But, at least, he needs to be more forthcoming than he was when he explained his reasons for sending Torres down the New York Daily News:

"“I think we have to make some important decisions, and one of them is not to overreact to Didi’s injury at the expense of Gleyber,” Cashman said. “Gleyber’s time is coming at some point, and whenever that’s going to be is going to be. But it doesn’t have to be right now — especially when we have other options that we can look at in the short-term.”"

One size does not fit all in this case. Just because Cashman has solid baseball reasons for sending Torres down, that doesn’t mean that Wade, Torreyes, Refsnyder, et.al. fall under the same banner of reasoning.

Losing Gregorius is a blow to the Yankees, but it’s not the end of the world. These injuries can be pesky, and recovery can be slow enough to for the Yankees to look well into May before Gregorius can return to his starting role.

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But, when you shake the pot, and only a name like Freddie Galvis falls out, some pause should at least be given to what the Yankees, apparently, are thinking of doing here.

The Yankees need a replacement for their injured starting shortstop for at least a month. The whole baseball world knows that. But from the looks of it, everyone and everything but the kitchen sink is in the running.

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