Bizarre Yankees 'dream' dies before it could develop as Padres strike overnight

If the New York Yankees really wanted Miguel Andújar back — if the decision-makers really loved him — then they certainly could've had him.

Andújar left the Yankees late in 2022 when his midsummer trade request became a buried DFA. He carried his trademark bat (and left his glove behind) to Pittsburgh, Oakland, Sacramento, and Cincinnati, finally putting everything together last season, when he became a deadline mover and a dude who hit .359 in 34 games' worth of the Reds' playoff push.

Just in time to become a free agent. Just in time for the Yankees to prize a right-handed bat who could mash lefties and play multiple positions (not well, though) to finish off the bench. Was a reunion afoot? Joel Sherman claimed on Tuesday that the folks in charge in the Bronx still loved Andújar, even though they mostly showed skepticism in unveiling him during his first run with the club. Even in his Rookie of the Year runner-up season in 2018, who could forget that night at Fenway when he threw the final out of a game down the right field line and the wrong variety of spotlight fell upon his shoulders?

If the Yankees could overlook Andújar's past tenure, defensive deficiencies, and potential unsustainable batting average on balls in play, they probably could get down with his .986 OPS against lefties last year. If you restrict his role and tell him to let loose with the helicopter like he always wanted to, maybe it would've worked.

Instead, he chose the Padres on Wednesday night for only $4 million. Who wouldn't want to live in San Diego? Excepting that reality, though, the Yankees obviously could've matched this offer, both in cash value and promise of playing time.

Yankees lose out on Miguel Andújar, who goes to San Diego Padres

This isn't an Austin Hays situation. Andújar is going to San Diego without any illusions about what role he's supposed to play. He's going to caddy for their lefty bats. When called upon, he's going to put a charge into baseballs, as only he can. He didn't turn his back on the Yankees to get starter's reps on a lesser team. He's taking on the same role the Yankees may or may not have envisioned for him, and he's doing it somewhere else.

On the "IKF to Boston" scale, this former Yankee moving elsewhere is decidedly less hilarious.

Now, it's incumbent upon the Yankees to put their money where their mouth is. If you want Ty France or Randal Grichuk, go and get them. If it's Paul Goldschmidt, finish the job. If it's Tommy Pham, then cancel your fantasy football league. Because the only thing more embarrassing than waiting around for the dregs of the righty bench pool is missing out on all of them after declaring your desperation.