Yankees Predicted To Swing Blockbuster Trade For Former First Round Pick By Zach Pressnell Newsweek

The New York Yankees lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets and have since pivoted to an emergency backup plan. This plan has included adding Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt.

New York hasn’t replaced Gleyber Torres in the infield yet. New York can add either a second baseman or a third baseman as Jaz Chisholm Jr. has the ability to play anywhere across the infield.

Rucker Haringey of FanSided recently predicted the Yankees to swing a blockbuster trade for Detroit Tigers infielder Jace Jung to replace Torres in the Bronx Bombers’ lineup.

“The Yankees still have a massive hole to fill at third base,” Haringey wrote. “They clearly do not want to splash the cash required to acquire big-name stars like Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado. That’s why Cashman needs to hit the trade market to find a new starter at the hot corner.

“The Tigers have not expressed an ounce of public interest in dealing prized prospect Jace Jung. They have him penciled in as their starting third baseman, both in 2025 and beyond. Cashman will need to blow Detroit away with an offer if they’re going to bring Jung to the Bronx.”

Jung would be tough to drag out of Detroit, but the Yankees might have the trade pieces to do it. If New York packages a starting pitcher alongside prospects Will Warren and Jorbit Vivas, it could potentially pull off the deal.

If the Tigers are going to land Alex Bregman, which seems more and more likely as days go by, trading Jung for a big return wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Yankees could opt for offensive firepower or defensive excellence at 2nd base

The New York Yankees have done a commendable job bringing in reinforcements for their quest for World Series title No. 28. They showed they were willing to pay Juan Soto a record contract, and when he opted to sign elsewhere, they quickly pivoted and secured a top-tier rotation arm in Max Fried, two bat-missing weapons for relief (Devin Williams and Fernando Cruz), and two steady veteran sluggers in Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger. They also brought back Jonathan Loaisiga and Luke Weaver.

They still need a second baseman, though. It could also be a third baseman or a shortstop willing to change positions, but the Yankees could sure use an infielder via free agency or trade if they won’t want to use DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Peraza, or Oswaldo Cabrera. There are a few options they could entertain. If we are talking strictly about second baseman, Ha-Seong Kim and Gleyber Torres are among those who could make the most sense.

The Yankees could go for the defensive wizard

Kim is an average hitter, which is not as bad as you might think. It means his floor is relatively high, even if his ceiling as a hitter isn’t. The unsexy offensive profile is somewhat mitigated by incredible defensive work in four seasons with the San Diego Padres.

The 29-year-old has a career 101 wRC+, but the 2023 Gold Glover accumulates 24 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 11 Outs Above Average (OAA) spread in three positions of need in the Yankees: second base, shortstop, and third base. An Anthony Volpe-Kim double-play combo would be really special, particularly with Goldschmidt, a fellow Gold Glover, manning first base.