Astros adding Yankees target they don't even need would be frustrating offseason end

Seattle Mariners v Houston Astros
Seattle Mariners v Houston Astros | Tim Warner/GettyImages

The Houston Astros, somewhat famously, filled their entire infield months ago, adding first baseman Christian Walker in free agency and slugging third baseman Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker trade. The Yankees, on the other hand, passed on Walker after the rumor mill had paired them at the Winter Meetings, then swung and missed on Tucker as the Cubs swooped in. Other than that, the two clubs are basically having identical offseasons.

That late December Astros infield flurry seemed to close the door on a reunion with Alex Bregman, who turned down a reported six-year, $156 million deal to remain in Houston. Would the Yankees act on Bregman to fill their obvious void at third base? Not likely, given the level of commitment that would entail and draft pick compensation they'd lose. Instead, the Yankees seemed content to pursue lower-tier options like Jorge Polanco, as long as they could siphon off that dastardly Marcus Stroman money. As recently as Jan. 10, Jack Curry seemed to hint that Polanco was the target the Yankees most desired in that department.

And yet, somehow, in the most predictable turn of events possible, the Astros are still in on Bregman approaching February, with Jose Altuve requesting to slide across the diamond to left field in order to bring his old friend in at second base. If that doesn't come to fruition, they're reportedly pursuing Polanco as an alternative; he'd play left, while Altuve would stay at second.

Those Yankees, who do not have a third baseman? They're still waiting on a Stroman taker as the Astros, with an entirely filled infield, threaten to add two more viable infielders.

Astros weighing Jorge Polanco pursuit instead of Alex Bregman; Yankees maybe weighing neither?

According to The Athletic, Polanco offers the Astros "a contingency plan if Bregman goes elsewhere." Again, though, Bregman doesn't even really have a role in Houston, as is. The only way he fits is if Altuve does something outside-the-box to secure a reunion. Would Altuve move just to accommodate Polanco? Would Polanco flexibly cover the outfield for some reason instead of, say, a natural free agent outfielder like Alex Verdugo?

Signing Polanco coming off a 93 OPS+ season and knee surgery doesn't exactly rise to the level of a "slap in the face" delivered from Houston to New York. Still, adding one or two more competent infielders to an entirely full infield would be another embarrassing rebuke of the Yankees' efforts to make it all the way to Opening Day without anyone noticing they forgot to finish the lineup.

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