The New York Yankees have strengthened their lineup this offseason with a major trade for Juan Soto, but have not addressed some important positions after a disappointing 2023 season.
Though the team has been connected to a top starting pitcher addition, they have not yet reached an agreement with pitchers like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. And now they have concerns at shortstop, with their expected backup Oswald Peraza having shoulder problems.
According to a report from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees initially offered $4 million to Enrique Hernandez — who ended up signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers — and then made the same offer to Amed Rosario, who instead opted for a $1.5 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
“Privately, they will make it known that it is symbolic of how much they still believe in (Peraza) that they attempted to sign Enrique Hernandez during spring training, and Amed Rosario, which is being reported here for the first time,” Sherman disclosed. “If (Peraza) is indeed removed from the competition, the Yanks do not have an obvious backup at shortstop, and really at second and third too unless they believe Oswaldo Cabrera can bounce back from his struggles in 2023.”
The New York Yankees Have Tried and Failed to Address Shallow Infield
While the addition of Soto is sure to increase the team's scoring, they will struggle to go far in the playoffs without a strong infield. Ultimately, missing out on Hernandez and Rosario may have negative consequences for them.
Anthony Volpe, also known as “Tony Fox” among fans, is expected to be the primary shortstop — a 22-year-old who became the first rookie in team history to win a Gold Glove last season. Even before his shoulder discomfort surfaced, Cabrera was likely to spend most of his time at the plate in the minor leagues.
“They believe that without injury that Anthony Volpe will, like last season, start about 150 games and they do not want a young player they still think has potential — but needs improvement in hitting — to play infrequently off the bench,” per Sherman. “So the best pathway for Peraza more and more was looking as it would begin this year in Triple A playing shortstop daily and seeing if he can reduce some of the swing and miss in his game.”
Yankees Rebuffed on Two Offers for Veteran Infielders
It appears that the Yankees’ free-agent shortstop targets were not interested in joining the team’s current roster. Hernandez was determined to return to the Dodgers, where he played from 2015 to 2020 and then again in 2023. And Rosario was not interested in serving as a backup behind Volpe.
“Rosario’s representative Ulises Cabrera told The Post that what Tampa Bay could offer was a clearer path to regular at-bats, including at shortstop where Tampa Bay is currently planning to go with Jose Caballero,” Sherman added.
The Yankees seem to be active in the market for some shortstop depth. That could ultimately mean a reorganization of some current infielders, a promotion for Peraza if he’s healthy, or an acquisition before the 2024 trade deadline.
