Latest Yankees rumor is completely absurd (unless Giancarlo Stanton is cooked)

While the Yankees aren't exactly in a position to turn down power at any position, giving how flat they fell in 2023, the latest target connected to them doesn't exactly pass the smell test.

Unless ... they know something about the slimmed-down version of Giancarlo Stanton that we don't? Maybe he lost all that weight because he was visited in the middle of a BP session by the Monstars? That would certainly affect the team's roster construction, though it does sound fairly unreasonable.

If Stanton's decided it's been a good run and he's ready to pack it in, that's one thing. Otherwise, the DH position is more than likely his until he comes down with a tweak or pull. Then, it should be the home for a rotating cast of characters who need a night off their feet, from Aaron Judge to Juan Soto to the occasional Anthony Rizzo.

But, as Cuban insider Francys Romero noted this week, the Yankees have checked in and "shown interest" on Jorge Soler, who can hack it in left, but is really more of a full-time, "grip it and rip it" DH at heart. The Mariners remain the most "active" team in the chase for his services, but New York reportedly hasn't ignored him entirely, which would have been our best guess at the status of their relationship. Huh.

Yankees Rumors: Why chase DH Jorge Soler at all?

Perhaps this was a pre-Soto trade contingency plan? In that case, adding a very good but not generational right-handed bat with limited outfield range wouldn't have been very satisfying, knowing that one of the modern game's greatest lefty hitters had been in the team's sights. Kevin Kiermaier, unfortunately, might've "cleared," in that scenario.

Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP in Atlanta, drilled 38 homers with a 128 OPS+ and a palatable 141 Ks in 580 plate appearances last season. After taking a significant step back in 2022, watching his OPS dip below .700, he continued his "every other year" dominance in his walk year with the Marlins.

Soler's thunderous power will make some team on the fringes of contention very happy, and after the Mariners shed payroll and let Teoscar Hernández walk, that feels like a perfect fit. But if the Yankees indeed checked in, we'd love a timestamp on their phone call to further understand whether they were just doing their due diligence or have an odd grand plan.