Yankees miss out on reunion with fan favorite that would've helped infield depth

The 2024 New York Yankees need both able bodies and a reminder of what this core group of players could've been (and, yes, with a few breaks, could still be again). Those represent two of the many reasons it would've been nice to see Gio Urshela in pinstripes again after the Tigers DFA'd him last week, then released him when he cleared waivers.

Urshela wound up a free agent again in mid-August, giving teams that passed on acquiring the correct amount of infield depth at the trade deadline (cough, the Yankees) a second chance at bolstering their rosters before the postseason cutoff date.

Complicating matters slightly, the Yankees' one midsummer infield addition -- Jazz Chisholm Jr. -- went down with a UCL injury to his non-throwing elbow last week. As of Tuesday, Aug. 13, conventional wisdom was that he'd be out 4-6 weeks at the very least, with surgery looming as a possibility. Just three days later, Urshela hit the open market, and it appeared the stars might've aligned to save the Yankees' bacon with a more natural (and familiar) third baseman.

But the tide began to turn when Chisholm announced, somewhat shockingly, that he intended to return to action closer to the expiration of his minimum 10-day stay on the injured list. As the weekend wrapped, the Atlanta Braves lost All-Star third baseman Austin Riley for a far more defined length of time, as his MRI came back showing a fracture that'll heal after the playoffs have already begun.

And, just like that, the Braves made more sense as a landing spot than the Yankees; they quickly finalized a deal Tuesday morning.

Yankees miss out on Gio Urshela reunion opportunity after Braves deal

Rumor had it the Yankees were chatting with Urshela this past offseason, but the price tag he ultimately received from the Tigers -- $1.5 million -- would indicate those discussions weren't serious, as New York could've afforded to top the final number and then some.

With the Tigers, Urshela regressed, posting a 73 OPS+ and -0.6 bWAR after hitting .299 with the Angels last season (with, yes, a still-below-average 99 OPS+). Urshela is a contact fan's dream, putting bat on ball with regularity, but the defensive metrics that never totally aligned with the eye test love him even less now as he ages.

Still, the familiar feeling of slipping on those pinstripes could've given the Yankees a momentary boost and a steady hand, if nothing else. Unfortunately, the Braves will be the ones who benefit, as New York's braintrust goes back to hoping Chisholm is correct about his healing process.