Yankees Rumors: Jose Reyes Trade Turned Down Last Season

Aug 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes (7) hits a double during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. The Rockies won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes (7) hits a double during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. The Rockies won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Yankees Rumors: Could it have been the Yankees designating Jose Reyes for assignment earlier this week had the Colorado Rockies not declined their trade offer last season?

New York Yankees rumors figure to pick up in the coming weeks as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches and the Yankees figure out if they will be buyers or sellers are the deadline. But, the most recent Yankees rumors have us taking a trip down memory lane to last season.

With Jose Reyes being designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies earlier this week, his name has popped up in rumors about where he could possibly land. It is unlikely a team will take on Reyes via trade or waiver claim, as they would then take on his bloated contract. It is a contract that Reyes no longer lives up to with his performance on the field; add in his off field

problems, as he was suspended to start the season under the league’s domestic abuse policy, it could be a while before Reyes finds a new place to call home.

Could that home have been with the Yankees? The Yankees are not interested in Reyes at this time according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, which makes sense. The Yankees already have a solid shortstop-second base combination in Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro, so adding a veteran looking for playing time and not a part time role makes little sense.

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But, Heyman also notes that Reyes was a player the Yankees tried targeting last season. Reyes was traded to the Rockies from the Toronto Blue Jays in the Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster last season. According to Heyman, the Yankees were interested in acquiring Reyes from the Rockies and using him as their second baseman.

It would have made sense, as the Yankees production from second base was nonexistent. Stephen Drew offered very little other than an occasion home run and Brendan Ryan received playing time mostly for his glove work.

What makes this rumor so eye catching is the fact that the Yankees were actually willing to offer top prospect, Jorge Mateo. According to Heyman, the Yankees offered Mateo in a deal for Reyes, and were actually turned down. It is up for debate which part of that last sentence is a worse decision, as hearing both is tough to believe.

Mateo is believed to be one of the untouchables for the Yankees when it comes to trade talks currently, so to hear he was offered for Reyes is pretty unbelievable. To hear the Rockies declined that sort of deal may be even more unbelievable.

As the saying goes, sometimes the best move is one not made. That is definitely true for the Yankees, as they still have Mateo in their farm system and found a solid addition at second base in Castro in an offseason trade with the Chicago Cubs, whom does not carry the baggage Reyes now has.

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Meanwhile, Reyes has found himself in trouble off the field and currently without a team to play on. It could be a while until he finds a new team, and the Yankees have to be happy that the Rockies turned down that trade offer and they are not the ones dealing with the headache that Reyes has caused.