Yankees reportedly interested in reunion with former fan favorite which will bolster the Team performances Ahead of their Matchup
New York Yankees fans may be getting a chance to reuse their old jerseys.
The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported on Sunday that the Yankees are showing interest in a reunion with infielder Gio Urshela. The 32-year-old is still unsigned after spending last season with the Los Angeles Angels.
Urshela played for the Yankees from 2019-21 and quickly became a fan favorite. He hit .314 with a .889 OPS during the 2019 campaign and also made a strong impact with his defensive versatility and his creative ways of contributing to winning baseball. Urshela earned further endearment with his grand slam against the Cleveland Guardians during Game 2 of the 2020 AL Wild Card series, which helped the Yankees pull off a sweep.
The righty-hitting Urshela still brings it with his bat (hitting .290 over the last two seasons combined) but is primarily a third baseman these days. Though the Yankees already have a glut of infielders who are capable of commanding the left side of the infield (like DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, Gleyber Torres, and Oswaldo Cabrera), Urshela could still be a valuable, complementary piece for them. They may have to fend off a rival team in free agency for Urshela though.
The New York Yankees had one of the worst batting orders in baseball last season, especially after Aaron Judge went down due to a toe injury. The Bombers hosted the second-to-last batting average with runners in scoring position and had a similar ranking for their on-base percentage at .310.
Overall, after putting together an elite offensive campaign in 2022, the Yankees backed it up with a dud. The perfect storm occurred with injury and inconsistencies, but general manager Brian Cashman made it a priority to reinforce the batting order and add more durable players to the equation.
Right off the bat, Juan Soto brings a Hall of Fame-level swing at 25 years old to the offense. He’s coming off a season where he played all 162 games, hitting .275/.410/.519, including 35 home runs and 109 RBIs. He hosted a 155 wRC+ and has never had a number below 143. He is a true and tried offensive threat, and he should bolster the top half of the order significantly.
Aaron Boone has already begun putting together some mock batting orders for the 2024 season, but he referenced Alex Verdugo and DJ LeMahieu’s progress as key components.
Verdugo, a 27-year-old outfielder from the Boston Red Sox, is coming off of down season, hitting .264/.324/.421, including a career-high of 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. His best season with a minimum of 140 games came back in 2021, hitting .289/.351/.426, including 13 home runs and 63 RBIs, with a 106 wRC+.
Verdugo offers the Yankees a lefty bat in the order and brings versatility. He’s capable of hitting at the top or bottom half of the order, helping Boone come up with more flexible lineups. The Yankees were looking for higher batting average players, and Verdugo fits the bill well, notably since they’ve been keeping tabs on him for the better part of two years. It is important to note that Verdugo is in the final year of arbitration before he becomes a free agent, so this may be the only season he spends in New York — if the Yankees are keen on extending Soto, Verdugo may be pushed to the side given the financial commitment.
LeMahieu is also an intriguing bat that could experience a bounce-back 2024 season. Last year, before the All-Star break, LeMahieu was hitting just .220/.285/.357, but his numbers took a significant turn for the better once Dillon Lawson was let go.
