This past offseason, the New York Yankees have constructed a true American League behemoth. But despite his best efforts, general manager Brian Cashman has failed to build the perfect lineup.
After an exhaustive search, the spot on the infield vacated by Gleyber Torres still has no sure-fire solution. Among their in-house options to play third base are DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera, Jorbit Vivas and Braden Shewmake though the first three are more likely to see time on the diamond than the latter two.
Up until recently, there were some rumors swirling that Arenado might soon join the Yankees based on discussions between Cashman and Cardinals’ GM John Moleziak. Unfortunately, Cashman has seemingly left the table, showing a steadfast unwillingness to spend money on a declining third baseman. Thus, the last known hope of landing a quality third baseman has been unceremoniously extinguished.
But this doesn’t mean that all hope should remain lost. One unexplored option belongs to the Texas Rangers. Utility infielder/outfielder Josh Smith served as the Rangers’ third baseman last season filling in for the injured Josh Jung. Set to make $800,000 this season before becoming arbitration eligible, he is easily affordable to any interested team.
During a scorching first half, the 27-year-old left-handed hitter broke out, hitting for a batting average of .293 with 10 home runs after posting poor numbers in his first two seasons. Unfortunately, after a minor injury mid-way through the season, Smith’s performance suffered. Still, Smith received a Silver Slugger finishing the season with a slash line of .258/.337/.394/.731 with 13 home runs through 523 at-bats. This includes 30 doubles.
With Jung back, Smith has effectively lost his spot on the diamond. Rangers’ president Chris Young has indicated Smith will see plenty of playing time as a super-utility player, but the diamond appears filled.
Jung will retake his position at third base while Corey Seager and Marcus Semien have shortstop and second base locked down. Adolis Garcia, Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter are set to take the outfield as regulars. This covers all the positions Smith can presumably play (and then some) unless he splits time with Joc Pederson as a DH. But perhaps the Yankees can save the Rangers the trouble and hand them a decent tradeoff.
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Trading Josh Smith to the Yankees
To start, any package sent to Texas would need to address their key uncertainty: the rotation. The Rangers’ rotation will feature several starters who have either been injured or performed relatively poorly on a consistent basis. Luckily, the Yankees have some decent rotational depth despite recent injuries.
Will Warren would headline the package going to the Lone Star State. Warren got his first shot at the majors last season and performed poorly despite flashing potential. His last success came in 2023 when he threw to a 3.35 ERA across AA and AAA. His arsenal sports a pair of fastballs that sit around 92-95 on average offset by a wipeout sweeper. His changeup, while another solid pitch, doesn’t quite compare to his other offerings. Command troubles hindered Warren’s effectiveness last season, but if he can get through it, he can make an impact this season. Warren is projected to be a solid number four starter.
Along with Warren, Everson Pereira would find a new home with the Rangers. Pereira is currently blocked from a spot in the Yankees’ outfield this season and probably will remain blocked for the foreseeable future. He has excelled at the minor-league levels, but struggled through a brief stint in the majors during the 2023 season. Injuries hampered him through most of last season, however, he has shown an ability to hit .300 with exceptional power when healthy. His speed is also a definite asset on the base paths having stolen 21 bases in 2022.
The one flaw in his game would be his swing. As a budding power hitter with a tendency to swing for the fences, he often whiffs resulting in plenty of strikeouts. But if his minor league success can translate to the majors this season, Pereira might be the perfect right-handed platoon mate for Joc Pederson in the DH slot.