What’re the odds Yankees reunite with Tyler Wade after Angels DFA?

Not too long ago, New York Yankees fans were up in arms when general manager Brian Cashman traded middle infielder Tyler Wade, who had just hit his stride with the team, to the Los Angeles Angels for pretty much nothing.

A team that was desperately in need of middle infield help, overall bench depth, and speed traded away a guy that checked all those boxes for under $1 million. What’re we doing here?!

Seems like Cashman knew exactly what he was doing, because the Angels already designated Wade for assignment over the weekend after a slow start (.218 AVG, .544 OPS) as LA continues to crater.

Now, unless he’s claimed by another team, the Yankees could have the chance to reunite with Wade, who’s also a good buddy of Aaron Judge’s! Maybe that’ll help the extension negotiations, eh?

At the very least, Wade can’t keep trying to recruit Judge to the Angels! Well, we guess he could if he wanted to be a weirdo?

Anyway, shortly before his New York departure, the Yankees started to use Wade as a utility player, as he logged reps at second base, shortstop, third base, and all three outfield spots. With the Bombers likely looking to move on from Joey Gallo, could Wade’s return actually be in the cards?

Should the Yankees reunite with utility man Tyler Wade after the Angels DFA’d him?

That depends how much the team values guys like Marwin Gonzalez and Matt Carpenter. Additionally, with others like Tim Locastro and Miguel Andújar available to be bounced between Triple-A and the majors, there’s not much use for Wade, who is out of options (which was one of the main reasons he was traded in the first place).

All we’re trying to say is that there would have to be a fairly momentous roster move on the position player side of things to make a Wade signing/trade work.

Though Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop hasn’t exactly resulted in rave reviews, Wade would be of similar caliber on defense and lesser on offense. IKF, whether fans like him or not, has been the exact player in New York that he’s been in his previous four seasons with Texas, so it’s not like the Yankees didn’t get what they paid for. And that production is still pretty much better than Wade’s career-best showing in 103 games with the Bombers in 2021.

Unless he were to agree to a minor-league deal, that’s the only way this would work. That would allow the Yankees to promote him as needed rather than requiring them to make a definitive spot for him on the active roster.

Don’t count on it happening, even if Judge barges into Cashman’s office demanding to get his best bud back in the clubhouse.

Tyler Wade recruiting Yankees’ Aaron Judge to Angels is a nightmare

Former New York Yankees utility man Tyler Wade is recruiting Aaron Judge to the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim, so that's just peachy.