Would This Free-Agent Third Baseman Be a Yankees Fit?
The New York Yankees will certainly hit the free agent market once the 2023 season ends. For a team that fell short of expectations for a variety of reasons, including at the plate.
So the Yankees could be looking for help at the plate, just as they were rumored to be at the trade deadline.
To many, the top hitter on the free-agent market is Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielder Cody Bellinger. But, after that? There’s a hitter north of the border that the New York Post believes could be a potential fit for the Yankees.
That hitter is Toronto third baseman Matt Chapman.
Chapman just came off the injured list this week, but he’s had a productive season at the plate in his second season with the Blue Jays. He’s slashing .248/.340/.431/.771 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI.
While the power is down a bit this season, he had back-to-back seasons of 28 home runs in 2021 and 2022 and hit 36 home runs with Oakland in 2019.
So if the Yankees want another power option on the corner, Chapman could be a real option.
But, how do the Yankees fit Chapman into their current roster? That’s a good question.
DJ LeMahieu has taken a healthy number of starts at third base this season, but he’s 35 and his batting average is the worst of his career — .239. He took over for Josh Donaldson, whom the Yankees released earlier this season and is now with the Milwaukee Brewers.
So, to some degree, the Yankees have an opening. They would need to figure what to do with LeMahieu, who has three years left on his contract and has a limited no-trade clause.
But Chapman would give the Yankees an option that is five years younger that LeMahieu, and even if they can’t unload the veteran, he can still share time with Anthony Rizzo at first base, once the latter returns next season.
But the Yankees are likely to have competition from the Mets, the Cubs, the Dodgers, the Giants, the Mariners and the Blue Jays.
