New York Yankees: Could Joc Pederson be a potential outfield trade target?

When the Yankees entered Spring Training, they knew starting center fielder Aaron Hicks would begin the season on the IL after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late October. What they weren’t banking on was losing their corner outfielders as well. 

Giancarlo Stanton was diagnosed with a Grade 1 right calf sprain on Feb. 25 after getting injured during outfield drills. Aaron Judge had been sidelined all spring with what the team finally announced on Friday as a fractured right rib. He’s been shut down by the Yankees for another two weeks and then he’ll get re-evaluated. Surgery has not been ruled out.

So here we go again. Injuries to Yankees outfielders. Injuries to Stanton and Judge. Tell me if you have seen this before. Over the span of two years, Judge has missed parts of each season due to injuries. Stanton has been injury-prone since arriving in the Bronx two years ago. He missed the majority of the 2019 season, playing in just 18 regular-season games. He had 18 at-bats during the playoffs with just three hits.

Following the 2019 season, general manager Brian Cashman told the New York Post that it is “fair to ask” is they are concerned about Stanton being injury prone.

With Stanton and Judge out Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, and Mike Tauchman will likely begin the season on the 26-man roster along with Brett Gardner. Gardner is already penciled in as the everyday starter in center until Hicks returns while the other three will battle for the two corner spots.

If the Yankees were to look outside of their internal outfield options, could Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson be a candidate? The Dodgers almost traded him to their crosstown rivals the Angels in early February when they were trying to acquire Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox the first time. When the Betts trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers never materialized right away to get a deal done quickly, the Angels/Dodgers deal fell apart.

Pederson is being paid $7.75 million this year but has the potential to be a perfect fit at Yankee Stadium with the short porch in right field. Last season, the 27-year-old hit .249 for the Dodgers with 36 home runs and 74 RBI. He had a .339 on-base percentage, .876 OPS and he slugged .538. The Yankees could use another left-handed hitter in their lineup, especially someone with his power. Defensively, Pederson played 84 games in left field for the Dodgers in 2019, but he’s a solid defender at all the positions.

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We know that Frazier has been a defensive liability in the past in the outfield. He certainly has shown that he has the bat to be a major league contributor. Tauchman was a savior last season in 87 games by hitting .277 with 13 home runs and playing elite defense. Andujar is the wild card after playing in 12 games before having season-ending surgery for a torn labrum.

Andujar had a breakout year in 2018 after hitting .297 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI. He is playing a lot of left field this spring and has even worked out at first base in the first couple of weeks. His bat will certainly help make up for the absence of Stanton and Judge.

The Dodgers would probably still look to move Pederson if they can find the right team to deal with. That team might be the Yankees. With Stanton to begin the season on the IL and no timetable for Judge’s return, Pederson is an option for Cashman to pursue should the Yankee outfield replacements struggle to begin the season.