The New York Yankees are looking to upgrade their infield this offseason.
After not picking up Anthony Rizzo’s option, the Yankees signed former National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal to anchor first base in 2025.
Outside of free agency, the Yankees do have other options. They could move Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third base to second, and put Oswaldo Cabrera at the hot corner. Or they could hope infielder DJ LeMahieu comes back healthy, as he could play either second or third.
If the Bronx Bombers do shore up their infield outside the organization, an MLB insider indicates New York has this former All-Star on their radar.
ew York Post’s Jon Heyman reports the Yankees are “considering” adding free-agent infielder Paul DeJong, who finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2017 and was an All-Star in 2019 while with the St. Louis Cardinals.
DeJong was once considered a cornerstone of the Cardinals’ future, putting up 30 home runs and a 5.3 WAR in his All-Star season, but his career took a tumble afterward. Between 2020 and 2023, he posted an OPS+ of 87, 85, 52, and 66. St. Louis traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, who subsequently released him after just 13 games. He was then picked up by the San Francisco Giants before they let him go in September of that year following 18 games.
He resurrected his career in 2024, hitting 24 home runs with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals while playing 139 games. However, he only slashed .227/.276/.427, with a 97 OPS+.
DeJong could be a potential short-term solution on a one-year deal to play third base and move Chisholm to second. The Yankees are also reportedly linked to Jorge Polanco and Brendan Rodgers as well.
