The New York Yankees didn’t swing for the fences like most of their fans expected. They failed to land Freddie Freeman, Carlos Correa, or Trevor Story. Moreover, they have yet to improve their shaky starting rotation.
But even despite that, landing Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson will certainly give their infield a boost. They got a massive defensive upgrade at shortstop and a former MVP a third baseman, although he won’t come without injury risk.
The Bronx Bombers now have a bit of a logjam at the infield, making Luke Voit the odd man out in their lineup. That’s why the San Diego Padres are reportedly looking to make a move for him, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
MLB Rumors: Padres Are Interested In Luke Voit
“The signing of free-agent first basemen Anthony Rizzo gives the Yankees five infielders — Rizzo, Donaldson, Kiner-Falefa, Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu — for four spots,” Rosenthal said.”The depth not only should prove useful if Donaldson again deals with leg issues, but also will enable the team to trade first baseman Luke Voit, who projects to earn $5.4 million in arbitration. The Yankees are speaking with clubs about Voit, and the Padres — one of the losers in the Freeman sweepstakes — are among the teams interested, sources said.”
“A hypothetical Voit acquisition would strengthen a lineup that is thin on middle-of-the-order firepower after Fernando Tatis Jr.’s most recent injury,”Sean Bavazzano of MLB Trade Rumors said.“Projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $5.4MM in arbitration, Voit would also prove eminently affordable for a Padres club that’s about $10MM of payroll shy of incurring luxury tax-related penalties. That projected arbitration figure likely appeals to a handful of clubs, but for a San Diego team saddled with pricy contracts and limited free agent options, a displaced Voit may prove to be their best bet at improving team offense without emptying the farm or wallets.”
The Yankees sure need to make some moves to keep up with the rest of the powerhouses in the AL, while the Padres will be thirsty for revenge after a disappointing campaign last season, so we expect both teams to be quite aggressive to try and get a deal done as soon as possible.
