New York Yankees' Need for All-Star Slugging Third Baseman Increases

There may not be a team in baseball that has been hit as hard by injuries as the New York Yankees during spring training.

Sep 1, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) hits a single in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Several key players set to be part of their Opening Day roster are going to be sidelined for the foreseeable future, such as starting pitcher Luis Gil and relievers Jonathan Loaisiga, Scott Effross and Jake Cousins.

Ace Gerrit Cole is undergoing tests on his elbow after soreness was persistent following an underwhelming start last week.

In the lineup, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton could be lost for the season as he weighs his options for injuries to both elbows. If he undergoes surgery, it will be season-ending.

Third baseman DJ LeMaheiu is dealing with a calf issue and isn’t expected to be ready for Opening Day either, which will likely push Oswaldo Cabrera into the starting lineup.

This is a far from ideal situation for the Yankees to be dealing with as a lot of production is going to be on the injured list. Their bench is also weakened with Cabrera having to be the everyday third baseman as he is a versatile piece for manager Aaron Boone to deploy.

The need for another hitter was already pretty high, but with Stanton and LeMaheiu set to be sidelined, the need has increased.

If New York was ever going to make a move for St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, the time is now.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report mentioned Arenado as a player most likely to be traded this year and the Yankees were listed as a potential landing spot.

It is easy to see why New York landed on the list as he would address so many of the needs the team currently has.

As the spring has shown, staying healthy is an issue for the Yankees. Availability is the best ability and right now, that isn’t something the team can count on consistently.

Arenado would help change that, as he is in the lineup basically every day and produces consistently.

“He's played in 94.6 percent of all possible games since 2014. He's also second in Defensive Runs Saved since 2013, and third in Outs Above Average since 2016,” Rymer wrote.

There are some concerns about his power production dropping in recent years, but the eight-time All-Star would be a massive upgrade over what the team has received from LeMaheiu and Cabrera over the same span.

At the least, New York can count on elite defense being played at the hot corner. An emphasis was put on that skill after the disastrous defensive performance during the 2024 World Series and Arenado would fit the bill.

The biggest obstacle right now is that the Yankees reportedly don’t have any more money to spend.

They need to figure out a way to open up some, as the lineup needs immediate help and Arenado would provide it.