2023 All-Star foolishly declined chance with Yankees before choosing rock bottom

The New York Yankees have made their desperation for right-handed bats — preferably infielders — painfully clear in recent weeks. They could've been a little more desperate this offseason, with months to work on their third base issue, but ... we can't dwell on that now. The past is the past. The future could be anything! It could even be the past!

Now, their Hail Mary attempts are beginning to leak (a few days after they were denied) as the trade deadline gets closer and closer. In an effort to patch things up in the wake of Oswaldo Cabrera's devastating injury, the Yankees reportedly took a look at and made an offer to Orlando Arcia, released by the Braves after Ronald Acuña Jr.'s return.

So did the Mets, which is typically a key indicator of whether someone has more in the tank (or, at least, a banger of a Latin pop song).

Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Arcia turned down both New York teams and opted for what we can only assume is the only guaranteed MLB offer he received: the Colorado Rockies.

Yankees offered Orlando Arcia a minor-league deal. He chose the Rockies instead.

There's no such thing as a bad minor-league deal. But there is such a thing as banking on a bad minor-league deal to save your season, which is bad to do. Arcia could've potentially represented a patchwork option for the Yankees if and only if he proved himself at Triple-A.

But ... after a game the Yankees won 3-2 in which the winning run was an Oswald Peraza home run socked to center field ... it kind of feels like ... best of luck on the Rockies, man?

Arcia hit .264 with 17 home runs during his breakout 2023 season, but sagged as the year went on and finished with a sliver-below-average 99 OPS+. He also ended the year by angering Bryce Harper in the Division Series, and was roundly mocked every time Harper ran the bases from that point forward. He batted just .194 in 14 games with Atlanta this season.

The Yankees can, and should, do better than Arcia when the time to supplement their bench arrives. Now, at least, they know Arcia feels the same way about them.