The New York Yankees are going into the regular season in need of an upgrade at third base. DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera were slated to share the hot corner before an injury to LeMahieu. Both LeMahieu and Cabrera struggled last year, but the Yankees were unable to find an upgrade in the offseason.
However, they may be able to find a new starter before the trade deadline. The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted the Minnesota Twins would swing this blockbuster trade with the Yankees to send "oft-injured" Royce Lewis to the Bronx.
- Yankees receive: third baseman/shortstop Royce Lewis
- Twins receive: left-handed pitcher Henry Lalane, right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler and infielder Oswald Peraza
Lalane and Schlittler are both top 15 prospects in the Yankees organization and could figure into the Twins' future plans. Meanwhile, the Yankees would be taking a risk on Lewis, who has missed plenty of games already in his young career due to injuries.
Lewis has played in just 140 games in the last two seasons. When he is on the field, he is a great player who could be a real asset to the Yankees' offense. He has hit 31 home runs in the last two seasons and carries a .265/.328/.493 slash line.
Lewis will not be a free agent until 2029 and Spotrac projects him to earn an eight-year, $77 million deal in free agency. The Yankees would be banking on him to stay healthy, but he is a high-upside player. He could slot in as the everyday third baseman, leaving LeMahieu with a bench role when he returns.
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Aaliyan Mohammed is a Newsweek contributor based in Atlanta, GA. His focus is MLB content. Aaliyan has been with Newsweek ... Read more