MLB Insider Believes Marcus Semien Is an Ideal Fit For Yankees
While there has certainly been a lot of buzz lately surrounding whether the Yankees will spend big on a shortstop or settle for a stopgap option until one their top prospects is ready for the big-leagues, one MLB insider still sees a pricey free agent as the perfect fit.
Back in September, SNY’s Andy Martino explained why Marcus Semien could be a match made in heaven with the Yankees. This week, Martino revisited this topic and hasn’t budged off his initial blueprint that has the Yankees landing Semien.
Although the Yankees like their two top prospect shortstops, in Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe, they could still sign Semien as a short-term filler at the position until one of these youngsters is ready for a call-up.
READ: Aaron Boone Says Top Shortstop Prospects Will Impact How Yankees Approach Free Agency
By then, the Yankees could essentially move Semien to second base, which is where he played for the AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays a season ago and slugged 45 home runs.
The 31-year-old also finished third in the AL MVP race in 2021, and by signing him away from the Blue Jays, the Yankees would be weakening one of the scariest offenses in their division.
The Yankees moved on from Gleyber Torres last season after he committed an abysmal 18 errors at the shortstop position. For now, Torres is slotted to play second base, but if Peraza or Volpe prove to be the real deal and the team wants to shift Semien over, Torres could be used as a low-cost trade chip with high upside.
While the Yankees’ logic of not wanting to block one of their top prospects makes sense, they still must upgrade in the interim at the position with a versatile impact bat who also has a steady glove.
Out of the free agent class that’s available (Semien, Javier Báez, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Trevor Story), Semien might be the most ideal fit if the Yankees plan on shifting their 2022 shortstop to a different position in the next few seasons.
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