Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves. The Braves laid the smackdown on the Houston Astros on their way to winning the World Series. This isn’t a win for the Yankees but it certainly isn’t a loss either. But now that is the past, the season is over and it’s time to put our eyes on the 2022 Yankees infield.
The 2022 New York Yankees infield is hard to predict. Brian Cashman has quite the task of sorting out this mess he has made.
The only certainty for the 2022 infield is that DJ LeMahieu will be a part of it. LeMahieu is signed to a long term deal and he’s a great candidate for a bounce back season after suffering a sports hernia in 2021. DJ isn’t going anywhere which is a good start to the 2022 infield. What position DJ is going to play is the uncertainty.
Gleyber Torres will probably be back in 2022 playing second base. Gleyber started to look better at the plate late in the 2021 season when he was moved back to second base from shortstop. He seemed rejuvenated. I really have to think that the Yankees are going to go with Gleyber for a full season at second base, to see if he can recreate his 2019 magic before they even entertain the idea of moving on from Gleyber,
There are rumors the Yankees would like to keep Anthony Rizzo in pinstripes. Keeping Anthony Rizzo a Yankee would be a good move. He’s a left handed bat, a great fielder, and an excellent clubhouse guy. Rizzo already has a World Series ring. He knows what it takes to win a World Series on a team under tremendous pressure. A guy with that experience is valuable. There is a really good chance Anthony Rizzo stays a Yankee.
Keeping Anthony Rizzo means that Luke Voit’s days are numbered. As a Luke Voit fan, this pains me. Luke Voit has struggled to stay healthy. When healthy he is a monster bat but he missed a lot of games in both 2019 and 2021.
There is a case for keeping Luke Voit. Look at his splits against both the Red Sox and Rays. Voit has a slash line of .351/.412/.672 with 11 HRs in 36 games against the Red Sox. His numbers aren’t quite as good against the Rays but still a solid .291/.421/.544 with 7 HRs in 31 games. Voit has value to this team. The only way Luke Voit stays a Yankee is if somehow Giancarlo Stanton is traded to the Padres, speculated here. Luke Voit would benefit from being a full time DH. He would be more likely to stay healthy, focusing solely on hitting and staying jacked.
Gio Urshela is most likely gone. Urshela has been a really good, likable Yankee but with only third base being a likely option for DJ LeMahieu, Urshela is probably traded in the offseason. As much as I like Gio, he’s another guy who has struggled to stay on the field consistently. Gio is also a guy who seems to be prone to freak injuries and accidents. I think Gio may foul balls off his ankles, feet, and shins more than anyone else on the Yankees. There was an at bat when he fouled a ball which cracked his bat sending a splinter into his eye. What are the odds of that happening?
Gio Urshela’s magnetism towards freak injuries makes him a prime candidate to trade while he still has value. I’ll miss him but he’s probably already hit his ceiling.
I really hope the Yankees move on from Gary Sanchez.
The biggest question mark in all of Major League Baseball heading into 2022 is who will be playing shortstop for the New York Yankees? Corey Seager and Trevor Story are the two most likely candidates with a trade as a dark horse candidate in another “Didi Gregorius” under the radar move. I would prefer Corey Seager not only due to his left handed bat but his playoff experience. Seager has won a World Series, playing in two World Series. Trevor Story has never played in an important game in his Major League career. Corey Seager has played in 61 postseason games, Trevor Story 5. I would opt for the experience.
I know who will not be a Yankee in 2022, Carlos Correa. Carlos Correa is despised among Yankees fans. With good reason, he’s an admitted cheater. New York fans would never accept Correa. We would make every at bat miserable for him. The only positive to the Yankees signing Carlos Correa is that it would take the heat off Giancarlo Stanton.
Yankees fans have accepted guys like Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, and Johnny Damon but none of those guys were as hated as Correa.
I really hope Correa does not get the $300+ mil deal that he is expecting. I don’t know if that deal is really out there for him. The Yankees are out on Correa. I hope Cashman doesn’t even speak to him or his agent. Take away that Yankees leverage in his negotiations, he deserves it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are probably out too. Their fans aren’t happy with Correa either. The Dodgers are a smart organization. They know that Correa is injury prone. Correa’s first full season was in 2016 when he was 21 years old. For the next several seasons he dealt with injuries, missing games. His next full season was 2021, his contract year. Suspicious? I already don’t trust the guy. Hopefully the Dodgers don’t either.
Taking away the Yankees and the Dodgers. Who is left? The Red Sox and Mets both have shortstops they aren’t moving on from. The Padres have been big spenders over the past few seasons but Tatis is locked in long term. The Phillies have Didi Gregorious signed for one more year, they aren’t out of the question. But do they really need to break the bank bidding against themselves when they don’t really need him?
Maybe it isn’t Correa’s time?
I know I got sidetracked on a Correa rant, but I know you don’t like him either.
To wrap it up, there are a lot of moves to be made going into the Yankees 2022 season. There is a lot of speculation by the fans but Brian Cashman has been known to surprise us. The 2022 offseason will be an exciting one. Assuming the Collective Bargaining Agreement gets hammered out but that is a column for another day.