New York Yankees Rumors: Ben Zobrist Not A Target?
New York Yankees Rumors: Are the Yankees balking at the expected asking price of Ben Zobrist, avoiding a potential bidding war and putting their efforts towards other places this offseason?
With the MLB Hot Stove officially heating up, the New York Yankees are one of the teams expected to make some noise in the coming days. They have a couple of holes to fill still despite already making one move in trading for Aaron Hicks from the Minnesota Twins.
Popular belief is that move was made as a precursor to more moves in the coming weeks. While another trade could be in the works, the Yankees are expected to be players in the free agent market, even if it is not for top tier free agents.
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One of those lower tiered free agents many people believed that the Yankees would be going after was Ben Zobrist. Zobrist won the World Series as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and is expected to be a popular name among teams.
Even the New York Mets, whom the Royals defeated the World Series, are expected to make a run at the super utility man. While the Yankees clearly need an upgrade at second base, where Zobrist played almost exclusively for the Royals when they were healthy last season, the Yankees may decide to skip on the veteran.
According to Dan Martin and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Yankees will not be in the running for Zobrist’s services this offseason. The Yankees, who are pretty cashed strapped with $170 million being guaranteed to only 10 players, look like they will be scared off a bit by the competition. This is a rare sight to see the Yankees scared away from a player because of his market price, but it is exactly what we may see this season.
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Zobrist, despite being 34-years old currently and turning 35 in May, is expected to land a three-year contract. If a team is willing to give a fourth year, they would lock Zobrist up right then and there. The Yankees do not seem to be willing to get into a bidding war for the veteran, and seem content to watch from the sideline.
The Yankees seem more content to try and upgrade via trade, but dumping more free agent dollars into second base could draw the ire of some people. Brendan Ryan already picked up his option, the Yankees traded for Dustin Ackley at the deadline last season and prospect Rob Refsnyder still figures to have a chance.
The Yankees were unwilling to trade Refsnyder and Adam Warren last season for Zobrist, so it would be hard to imagine the Yankees now handing him a big contract to kick Refsynder to the side.
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While he would be an upgrade for the Yankees over what they had last season, and what they look to have this season, his demands could be too rich for a team that has needs in other areas. Expect the Yankees to fill their second base need, if they deem themselves to really have one, via a trade like when they addressed shortstop last season in acquiring Didi Gregorius from the Arizona Diamondbacks.