Because the Yankees seek for infield assist after shedding second baseman Gleyber Torres in free company final month, Jon Heyman of the New York Publish reviews that Paul DeJong is among the many names the membership is at present contemplating.
DeJong, 31, has spent the overwhelming majority of his profession with the Cardinals up to now. After being chosen within the fourth-round of the 2015 draft by St. Louis, he rose by means of the ranks of the minor leagues rapidly and made his debut throughout the 2017 season. The primary few years of his profession went fairly properly, as he hit a strong .251/.318/.467 (108 wRC+) in his first three years with the membership whereas working his means into the Cardinals lineup as their on a regular basis shortstop. He loved a very sturdy season in 2019, when he slugged 30 residence runs and put up incredible numbers on protection en path to an All-Star look.
Issues began to take a flip for the more severe beginning with the shortened 2020 season, nevertheless, and his offense took a serious step again till he in the end misplaced his beginning job with the Cardinals. Finally, he was traded halfway by means of the 2023 season having slashed simply .207/.285/.368 (80 wRC+) over his remaining 4 years with the membership. He bounced across the Blue Jays and Giants down the stretch and hit simply .129/.128/.183 over the season’s remaining two months earlier than reaching free company, the place he finally signed with the White Sox.
Whereas 2024 was a season to overlook on the south aspect of Chicago, that had nothing to do with DeJong’s efficiency. Taking up for Tim Anderson because the membership’s beginning shortstop within the first half, DeJong loved one of the best season he’s had since his aforementioned 2019 All-Star marketing campaign. That sturdy efficiency earned him a commerce to the Royals, and he shifted to 3rd base in deference to Bobby Witt Jr. down the stretch because the Royals made their first playoff look since profitable the World Sequence in 2015. Total, he slashed an honest .227/.276/.427 (95 wRC+) in 482 plate appearances that introduced his offensive contributions inside spitting distance of league common. That mixed with sturdy glovework at each shortstop and third base made DeJong a 1.7 fWAR participant in 2024, or a roughly common common.
A participant whose finest season in half a decade noticed him change into roughly common is certain to return with warts, and DeJong isn’t any exception. His .276 on-base proportion final yr was the eighth-lowest determine amongst all hitters with not less than 450 journeys to the plate final yr, and his 32.4% strikeout fee was third-highest amongst that very same group. DeJong’s extreme whiffs and issue getting on-base are considerably made up for by his appreciable pop; he clubbed 24 homers final yr, good for eighth amongst shortstops and ninth amongst third baseman regardless of him not getting sufficient plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. Together with his mixture of energy and protection, DeJong looks like a superb guess to earn not less than semi-regular taking part in time in 2025.
Whether or not that taking part in time will in the end include the Yankees is unclear. DeJong is unlikely to price a lot even after a strong sufficient platform season, and that’s positive to be appreciated by a Yankees membership that appears to be stretched skinny financially as issues stand. Heyman means that offloading a few of right-hander Marcus Stroman’s wage might permit the Yankees to spend a bit extra of their seek for infield assist, although even when they’re profitable of their efforts to buy the veteran hurler it stands to purpose they’ll stay out on top-of-the-market choices like Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado.
Whereas the Yankees apparently don’t have a lot need to pay a premium in free company or commerce so as to add infield assist, there’s a transparent want for an additional possibility at both second or third base. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is usually a strong common at both place and seems to be ticketed for the keystone as issues stand, however that would depart third base to some mixture of DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza. LeMahieu turns 37 in July and is coming off a 2024 season the place he was among the many worst hitters in baseball (52 wRC+), whereas Peraza has simply 74 video games of expertise on the large league stage. That leaves Cabrera because the membership’s best choice at current, however his .247/.296/.365 (88 wRC+) leaves a lot to be desired as an on a regular basis participant regardless of his worth on the bench.
