Yankees: New update on upcoming shortstop free agent class changes everything

After spending more time than we should have laughing at the New York Mets for seemingly botching their negotiations with Francisco Lindor, the two sides agreed to a 10-year contract worth $341 million at the buzzer on Wednesday night.

But that was expected, even though it took as long as it did. Lindor was never really viewed as someone who would reach free agency after the Mets surrendered assets to get him, but if a deal didn’t get done by Opening Day, the star slugger was slated to hit the open market.

Still, if the New York Yankees happened to be interested, a number of other high-profile shortstops will be free agents after this year.

We’ve talked at length about how one of them could be in the Bombers’ crosshairs if Gleyber Torres doesn’t seize the position in 2021. Everyone wants him to succeed, but that’s no guarantee until the season concludes.

Hopefully this is the last we hear anything about next offseason and the Yankees making overhauling roster moves, but we caught some more wind about “potential options” and that the Yankees are “rumored” to be among those possibly interested.

Yup, even in Carlos Correa!

Here’s what MLB insider Jon Heyman said on the “Big Time Baseball” podcast:

"“The Giants are my number one team to really look at a big shortstop. They’re gonna be ready to spend … The Rangers are a team that’s rumored to be interested in these shortstops, particularly Story or Seager. … Yankees are rumored. It’s possible. They certainly could get in there on one of those shortstops, and I don’t think it’s going to be Lindor. If it’s going to be one of them, it’ll probably be Story or Seager. Again, they like Correa, too, so we’ll see. … And some dark horse teams that can start to spend include the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners.”"

Correa, Trevor Story and Corey Seager. Lindor is out and it seems Javier Baez won’t be under consideration if it comes down to the Yankees making an earth-shattering free agency splash/roster alteration.

Story and Seager were always viewed to be Yankees targets, but now the narrative has shifted a bit after Lindor’s extension and New York’s potential interest in Carlos Correa. Remember, though, it wouldn’t be out of the question if Seager and Correa signed extensions since they’re both cornerstones for their current teams. That would leave Story as the lone option, and it wouldn’t be pretty when you consider how aggressive the bidding war will get among other teams that desperately need a shortstop.

Take this information, store it for later, and don’t think about it until the Yankees throw their final pitch of the 2021 season. That’s the best advice we can give you.

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