Yankees Rumors: Todd Frazier staying home?

About 24 hours before the Yankees shook the baseball world by trading for NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, 1996 World Series hero Jim Leyritz broke the news. Now he’s back with another helping of hot stove action.

While some Yankees fans would love nothing more than to see Gleyber Torres at second base and Miguel Andujar at third base come opening day, it’s not going to happen.

First of all, much like the Cubs did with Kris Bryant in 2015, Torres will most certainly spend the first two weeks of the regular season in the minors to delay his service time. Although I’m not a fan of this practice, I understand two weeks equals one extra, low-cost contractural year. So be it.

Then there’s Andujar, who may very well be big league ready with the stick but still lacks consistency with his glove and throwing accuracy from across the diamond.

It’s almost impossible to imagine manager Aaron Boone fielding a team that is expected to challenge for a World Series title with two rookies in its infield.

Enter the Toddfather.

Though Joel Sherman of the NY Post recently wrote that Frazier has interest from as many as 10 different suitors, including the Mets and Giants, the longer the Toms River native stays on the open market, the better the chance the Yanks have at nabbing him.

"About 10 teams have expressed various levels of interest in Frazier. Some want him to play third, some want him to play third and first, and there even has been some interest in Frazier at second because analytics show he handled the shifts well.More from Yankees NewsYankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendarYankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielderMichael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening DayNo, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step"

In November, Sherman surmised that Frazier would likely receive a multi-year deal, averaging $12 million per season.

Taking into consideration that Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman recently traded Chase Headley and his one-year, $13 million contract to the Padres for a bag of peanuts (Jabari Blash), now is the perfect time for Frazier’s return to the Bronx.

And if you believe former Yanks’ catcher Jim Leyritz, then a deal looks to be coming to fruition. Leyritz who first gained some credibility in the realm of all things rumors, when he broke the Stanton trade some 24 hours before it actually went down — once again took to Twitter with the scoop.

Leyritz stated that a one-year deal with a second-year player option is expected and that Frazier wants to return to his childhood club.

With CC Sabathia back in the fold, reuniting the Baby Bombers with Frazier is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Veteran leadership will be paramount to the success of the 2018 Yankees.

As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And Frazier with the Yanks wasn’t broke.

The guy is a true professional. He knows this club will likely head in an entirely different direction in 2019 (either with Andujar or free-agent-to-be Manny Machado). Even with that knowledge, he, like CC, want to finish what they started in ’17 — to win a championship.

Frazier is a safer option than trading for Brandon Drury; much cheaper than acquiring Machado; and more realistic than trying to pry Evan Longoria from the Rays. Give Andujar more time to grow and go with the proven commodity in Frazier.

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Frazier is everything that is right with baseball. Now make the deal official.