The New York Yankees have been linked to Nolan Arenado multiple times over the past year. Still, considering the team has yet to make a move and had little interest in making a deal for him during the offseason, it remains uncertain if the Yankees are truly interested.
According to a report from Brandon Kuty of The Athletic, it “feels unlikely” that the Yankees would trade for him at the deadline, despite the recent injury to Oswaldo Cabrera.
His reasoning was simple, adding that Arenado still has two years left on his deal, and the Yankees likely won't want to make a long-term commitment to third base for a player with his contract and average production.
“It still feels unlikely that the Yankees would trade for the St. Louis Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado, considering they had little interest in him in the offseason, and since it’s not out of the question that Lombard could be the Yankees’ starting third baseman as early as next season. It would be difficult to see the Yankees jamming up third base the next two years with Arenado. Plus, the Cardinals are 23-19, a game back in the National League Central,” he wrote.
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The Yankees aren't in a position to get creative at third base. If they find a player they think could help them, trading for them seems to be the right idea.
Arenado hasn’t been great in recent years and is playing very average baseball to start this season, hitting .264 with four home runs.
He's an elite defender, which helps, but his 115 OPS+ doesn't jump off the screen.