All the talk lately has centered on the idea of the New York Yankees trading for a third baseman. Is it still possible they could reverse course?
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is an excellent defensive second baseman and a poor defender at third. But he's spent an overwhelming majority of his games in the Bronx at the hot corner, as the team has catered to Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu.
Now that Chisholm is back at second base as of Tuesday night, it seems like the logical implication is New York attempting to trade for a new third baseman. But what if they scour the trade market and find the best upgrade they can find is at the keystone?
The Athletic's Chad Jennings, Tim Britton, and Aaron Gleeman think it's at least within the realm of possibility.
In their trade deadline "big board" piece published Wednesday, the trio named Atlanta Braves three-time All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies as a name to watch for the Yankees at this year's deadline.
"Perhaps the season has gone south enough for Atlanta and for Albies that a player with notoriously inexpensive team control through 2027 becomes available," wrote the authors.
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"Albies is in the midst of his worst big-league season by far, and since 2022, he’s posted a league-average OPS while missing significant time with injuries. There’s still value in the talent and the contract for an acquiring team, and Atlanta’s farm system could use a kickstart."
Albies, who has a .607 OPS in 90 games, has been so bad that it's legitimately possible the Braves could decline his $7 million club option for next season, especially if they don't think his struggles are at all related to his lingering effects from the wrist injury he suffered last season.
A three-time All-Star with a .775 career OPS would normally be a huge potential upgrade, and Albies is still only 28. But would the Yankees trust his track record enough to roll the dice on trading for him when his numbers are this rancid?
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