There is a rumor that has come out today on day one of the MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee that the New York Yankees are interested in free agent shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to play second base in the Bronx next season, according to John Paul Morosi of Fox Sports.
Morosi also reported that the Yankees have a “tight budget,” which seems to be the direction the Yankees have been headed and will continue to head especially in the post “George Steinbrenner era.”
If New York wants Cabrera to play second base, that creates a logjam as they have youngster Rob Refsnyder and veteran Dustin Ackley who are in place to potentially platoon at that position. However, the Yankees could use the surplus and make a move to upgrade their roster in another area.
Asdrubal Cabrera is a 30-year-old shortstop and is on the tail end of his prime, and will undoubtedly want a multi-year deal in the two to three year range.
Last season, Cabrera played for the Tampa Bay Rays and had a .265 batting average with 15 homers, 58 RBIs and a .744 OPS (the highest it's been since 2012 when he was an All-Star) in 143 games played.
Over the course of his career, which has spanned nine seasons, he has a career .267 average with 102 homers, 509 RBIs, and a .740 OPS. In the last three seasons, his OPS has dipped to concerning levels, dropping to .694 in 2014.
With Stephen Drew struggling mightily for the Yankees last season, slashing .201/.271/.381, the addition of the younger Cabrera could be an uprade.There's no question the Yankees need to add depth to their roster, who overachieved and lost in the American League Wild Card game to the Houston Astros.
They need more than just a second basemen but it appears that might be where they are starting from in the hunt to improve their roster.