3 DFA’d targets Yankees should sign after 40-man shuffle

1. Hunter Renfroe

Could the Rays’ loss be the Yankees’ gain with Hunter Renfroe?

Do not impugn Hunter Renfroe as a potential DH — the man proved throughout the ALCS against the Astros that he can play a mean right field, basket-catching with the best of ’em.

And that’s what makes him an interesting Yankees target — well, that and the fact that the American League champion Rays have decided they’re too cheap to keep their depth pieces. Don’t even get us started on Mike Zunino, cut loose several weeks ago and someone the Yanks should probably keep one eye on, too.

Renfroe hit just .156 with eight bombs in 2020, but like Núñez, this is a 30-homer bat from the previous season who had a difficult 60-game small sample size. Renfroe’s true talent is as a remarkable power bat, lefty masher, and solid fourth outfielder who can hold his own in space.

In spacious San Diego in 2019, Renfroe hit 11 homers in 113 at-bats against lefties, OBP’ing .331 with a .239 average. In relatively limited opportunities, Renfroe proved he could play the role Andruw Jones did for the Yankees back in 2011 — oddly, they’ve got similar swings. Check ’em out, you’ll see I’m right.

It’s clear the Rays think they can fill in Renfroe’s production by promoting from their generic pool of offensive prospects, and they probably can. After all, it keeps happening. But thanks to Tampa’s financial flimsiness, the Yanks have another lefty-mashing option approaching in their rearview mirror.

Yankees: 3 free agents NYY must avoid this offseason

The New York Yankees are going to have to get creative in free agency, and these three specific maneuvers should be very much avoided.