The New York Yankees have been quiet throughout MLB Free Agency thus far, and fans are getting impatient as more of the market's top talent gets poached. In what was at one point a star-studded market at the shortstop position, the Yankees now find themselves looking at relatively few options to pursue ahead of the 2022 season, especially with the impending lockout facing MLB.
If the Yankees are truly looking to contend in 2022, and there's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be, they need to make signing a shortstop a priority. The two top dogs remaining on the open market are Carlos Correa and Trevor Story, and the Yankees should absolutely prioritize locking down Correa this offseason.
3 Reasons the Yankees must go all out to sign Carlos Correa
1. Shortstop was a major issue for the Yankees last year
The Yankees got minimal production out of one of the most important positions on the diamond last year, and that cannot be the case in 2022 if they want to contend. Gleyber Torres proved in 2021 that he isn't the answer at shortstop, particularly defensively, as he is better suited to manning second base. That leaves the Yankees scrambling in terms of shortstop, and with the left-handed-hitting Corey Seager no longer available after signing a mega-deal with the Rangers, Correa may be the best option on the market.
Correa would provide the Yankees with elite defense while further bolstering the lineup. The 27-year-old was a Gold Glove winner at shortstop in 2021 and would represent a significant defensive improvement over the likes of Torres, or Gio Urshela, who is a natural third baseman. Additionally, Correa is coming off of one of his best offensive seasons in the big leagues, having recorded a .850 OPS with 26 home runs and 92 RBI last year.
Carlos Correa's market outlook is even brighter now than it was this morning. Why? One team — the #Rangers — signed two star shortstops, leaving the remaining suitors (Tigers, Yankees, Astros, et al.) with a smaller group for which to compete. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 29, 2021
2. The shortstop market is quickly diminishing
Heading into the offseason, Brian Cashman dubbed this the “year of the shortstop,” per MLB's Bryan Hoch. Naturally, Yankees fans got excited about the prospect of bringing in a big-name talent to take over at the position. While Seager seemed the obvious choice, nothing materialized on that front, with him following fellow star shortstop Marcus Semien to the Rangers. Add in Javy Baez's decision to join the Tigers, and all of a sudden this once-deep market is now looking relatively thin.
With Correa and Story representing the two marquee options at the position, Cashman needs to open up the wallet and get a deal done before the next domino falls. Failure to upgrade at shortstop would be a disaster for the Yankees, and with Correa still available, this feels like a win for both parties. While adding a left-handed bat to the equation would have been ideal, the Yankees can't afford to be inactive this winter.
Here's a look at the remaining free agent shortstops:
Carlos Correa (27, 6.6 WAR)
Trevor Story (29, 6.0)
José Iglesias (32, 2.6)
Freddy Galvis (32, 2.0)
Andrelton Simmons (32, 0.0)
Pete Kozma (34, 0.0)
Deven Marrero (31, 0.0)
Andrew Romine (36, -0.3)— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) November 30, 2021
3. Prevent a fellow contender from getting better
Not only would Correa instantly improve the Yankees on both sides of the ball, but should he not join the Bombers, the likelihood of him signing with another contending team in the American League is quite high. He's been linked to the Astros and Mariners throughout free agency, and both teams are looking to make runs in the postseason. If the Yankees don't act to make a move for Correa, there's a real chance he ends up with one of those clubs.
Not only would it sting to see Correa on the opposing team during a postseason series, but the star shortstop has historically been dominant against the Yankees. Across 31 career games, Correa is slashing .305/.371/.568 with eight homers and 25 RBI when pitted against the Yankees. Letting Correa sign with another club would only serve to make the Yankees' path to a World Series even more difficult.
The Yankees are running out of time to get a deal done before the potential lockout occurs, and all the uncertainty that comes with it. With many players trying to get deals done before the lockout, it's time for Cashman and Co. to act.
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