Yankees: 3 unexpected players NYY could nab after club option decisions

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WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 12: Adam Eaton #2 of the Washington Nationals runs to first base during a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on September 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

2. Adam Eaton

Hey, what about Nationals rat Adam Eaton as a Yankees Brett Gardner replacement?

Adam Eaton is the kind of player you hate if you encounter him in the wild, but you love if he’s fighting tooth and nail for your city.

And call it recency bias, sure, but he’s performed better in the Brett Gardner role on the national stage more recently than Gardner himself, capturing the 2019 World Series title in Washington after hitting singles, doubles and homers while swiping bases like a street rat.

For a Yankees team that needs more contact hitters who wreak havoc as well as outfield depth, Eaton could be a possibility after the Nats made quick work of his $10.5 million club option. Despite a tough 2020 campaign (what else is new for the Nationals?), Eaton came to play in ’19, socking 15 homers and hitting .279 with a .365 OBP and solid defense. You may also remember him from pretending to drive a bus by Kendrick’s side during the penultimate celebration of the season, preceding the team’s dogpile in Houston by a few innings.

If I’m the Yankees, I’m trying to bring in as many of these tough-as-nails Astros Beaters as I can. Perhaps a package deal for Kendrick’s last year?

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