Yankees’ latest rumored target could suggest infield shakeup

The Yankees are rumored to be eyeing former Orioles shortstop Jose Iglesias.

It’s clear the New York Yankees need help on defense and could use one or two contact-first bats in the lineup, which fully validates this latest free agency/trade update.

According to the latest rumors, the Yankees are eyeing Baltimore Orioles shortstop Jose Iglesias, but his status won’t be known until a few days after the World Series. Iglesias has a $3.5 million team option that one has to assume the O’s will exercise.

If they don’t, he’ll become a free agent and the Yankees’ pursuit will be much easier. If not, general manager Brian Cashman will have to make another trade with the division rivals.

Iglesias would indeed be a great option off the bench, but this is a starting-caliber shortstop who’s seemingly in the prime of his career at the moment. Iglesias will be 31 by the time the 2021 season begins, but logged a wildly impressive campaign in the shortened 2020 and had the best year of his career in 2019 with the Cincinnati Reds.

Is that someone the Yankees will be looking to use as a part-time player, especially if he costs a decent amount in a trade given his performance and cheap price tag?

At the very least, Cashman going after Iglesias would displace Tyler Wade as the incumbent top guy coming off the bench to provide security up the middle.

At worst? Well, we don’t want to get you too worried, but in the event the Yankees don’t view Iglesias as a part-time player, this could mean Gleyber Torres is moved back to second base and … DJ LeMahieu isn’t retained in free agency. In the Yankees’ eyes, that could significantly lower costs, help them add a contact bat that barely strikes out, and drastically improve their defense up the middle.

Another nightmare scenario? The Yankees trade Torres, add Iglesias to play short, and re-sign LeMahieu to remain at second base. Again, this is if the Yankees view Iglesias as more of a full-time player, which is certainly possible since he’s been that guy for the last five seasons with the Orioles, Reds and Tigers.

But let’s think positively. The addition of Iglesias would give the Yankees a win-now option off the bench who could provide formidable relief in the event of an injury, late-game defensive replacement, or when Torres/LeMahieu need rest. That’s the dream, but we’re just not sure how attainable that is, since it’s hard to view a career .280 hitter who’s chipped in a 4.8 dWAR since 2015 as a surefire backup.

The main takeaway here is that Wade’s days as a Yankee are clearly waning.

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