Yankees Deciding Whether To Make A Run After Stephen Drew

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Yankees are weighing the decision to make a run after free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew since the goal of being under $189 million is essentially out the window.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said during Wednesday’s conference call to discuss the signing of Masahiro Tanaka that his team was probably done doing anymore heavy lifting this winter after spending nearly $500 million on the free-agent market.

Cashman said back in December that he and the Yankees had no plans of signing Drew, but that was when the $189 million goal was realistically possible. When looking at the logic, since the Yankees are going to be over the luxury-tax mark, it would make more sense for them to be far over the line, rather than just past it.

The Yankees had been showing some interest in Drew earlier in the offseason, but after the re-signing of Brendan Ryan to be insurance for Derek Jeter, it appeared that there would be no room for Drew to play shortstop, his natural position.

Drew could also play third base, which is where the Yankees would mostly likely use him, but it’s unknown whether he would change positions just to suit the need of one team. It would, though, make sense for him to play third base this season, then move to shortstop when Jeter retires — which could be after this season, if he decided to hang up the cleats.

Drew made $10 million last season with the Boston Red Sox, and will probably land a deal earning him just over that amount. He has been asking for a three-year deal, at least.

There hasn’t been much of a showing market for him this offseason. There was always a chance that he winds back up with the Red Sox, but I’ve always seen him signing with the New York Mets, and I still think he will — unless the Yankees decide to join the race.

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