5 free agents Yankees must sign to win World Series

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 20: Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals reacts at the end of the top of the fourth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 20, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

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MILWAUKEE, WI – SEPTEMBER 15: Neil Walker #15 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a grand slam in the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Miller Park on September 15, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

3. Neil Walker

Second base and third base stand out as the two weakest positions for the Yankees as the roster currently stands. Ronald Torreyes is slotted in to start at second after Starlin Castro was included in the trade for Giancarlo Stanton. Third base is even more up in the air, with rookie Miguel Andujar penciled in very lightly. The diminutive Torreyes hit a solid .292/.314/.375 in 108 games last year, but a full-time starting role might be above his skill level. Andujar is a top-100 prospect, but could use one more season at Triple-A to mature into a more consistent defender.

It’s not that the Yankees can’t win with Torreyes and Andujar playing large roles in their infield — it’s that winning the World Series becomes a more realistic goal with more established players in those positions. Andujar, along with Gleyber Torres, is a big part of the future for the Yankees, but it’s still too early. Torres needs to be given as much time as he needs to recover from reconstructive elbow surgery. What the Yankees really need is a stopgap measure in the infield.

Why not turn to one of the more underrated players in the league, second baseman Neil Walker. Even with the second-base position seeing an influx of power hitters — three players hit more than 30 home runs at the position and nine total hit more than 20 — Walker is still one of the most consistent hitters at the second sack. He has posted an OPS over .800 in three of the past four seasons. The question the Yankees must answer is whether or not Walker would be amenable to a short-term deal. At the age of 32, this is likely his last shot at a multi-year contract.

Another cheap, veteran option for the Yankees to consider at second base is All-Star Brandon Phillips. The three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glover is nearing the end of his career, but hit .285/.319/.416 in 144 games last season. Phillips does have enough left in the tank to be a productive member of the Yankees, and might be willing to come on board on a non-guaranteed contract.

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