The New York Yankees’ primary focus this offseason will be finding a way to retain slugger and American League MVP candidate Aaron Judge.
But as the Bronx Bombers look to improve in 2023 and build off of their success, there are other avenues they could take.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Yankees have been in touch with a few other big-name free agents and could look to them as fail-safe options if Judge ultimately signs elsewhere.
Heyman reports that the Yankees are checking in on outfielder Brandon Nimmo and shortstops Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and Trea Turner.
In addition to Nimmo, the Yankees have also reportedly checked in on Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Trea Turner.https://t.co/MfofsSrT1J pic.twitter.com/HrnTvyM5ny
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) November 15, 2022
Yanks Talking To Key Free Agents
It’s also possible that the Yankees could try and sign one of these stars in addition to Judge.
But in the event that Judge leaves, the Yankees do have several options on the table.
While Nimmo would be a significant downgrade on offense from Judge, Correa, Bogaerts, and Turner would each be good fits for the Yankees at shortstop and would allow them to move Oswaldo Cabrera to the outfield and have him play there full-time, though Nimmo would not be a bad signing by any stretch.
Signing Bogaerts would stick in the faces of Boston Red Sox fans, as he would be yet another Red Sox great who ultimately signed with the Yankees and would join Babe Ruth, Johnny Damon, and Jacoby Ellsbury as Red Sox enemies.
The Yankees do at least appear to have some backup options if they were to lose out on Judge.
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