Yankees Playing ‘Waiting Game’ on Trade For 10-Time Gold Glover to Play 3rd Base

The New York Yankees are speeding toward opening day season with at least two glaring problems, both in their infield.

One is at second base, where Yankees general manager Brian Cashman never figured out how to replace Gleyber Torres, who departed as a free agent to the Detroit Tigers after the Yankees made no offer to keep him around.

The other significant weakness comes at the hot corner. The Yankees have three players competing for the third base spot, options that WFAN radio personality Keith McPherson described on Tuesday as “mid, unknown, and washed.”

Those three, in no particular order, are DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza. But the Yankees have a fourth, and much better possible option at third base — but that option is a player they would need to made a trade to get. So far, according to Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media, the Yankees feel they have time to sit back and wait to make the deal.

The third baseman in question is Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals, a 10-time Gold Glove winner at the position, over his 12-year career. Arenado has been at the center of trade rumors throughout the offseason, and in at least one case, it was more than a rumor.

In December, the Cardinals reportedly had a deal in place to ship Arenado to the Houston Astros, but that was one place the Newport Beach, California, native did not want to go. Invoking the no-trade built into his eight-year, $260 million contract, the 33-year-old Arenado blocked the trade.

Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak had been open about the team’s desire to rid itself of Arenado’s contract to create more financial flexibility for St. Louis to rebuild. But the sticking point in working out an Arenado deal has been the percentage of the eight-time All-Star’s contract the Cardinals are willing to absorb.

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The two teams reported to be pursuing an Arenado deal were the Boston Red Sox and Yankees. But with the signing of Alex Bregman last week, the Red Sox appear to be out of the running. That leaves the Yankees who, according to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, now “have all the leverage” in a trade for Arenado and are “just waiting for the Cardinals to blink.”

Wilson speculated that Cashman may be waiting for the Cardinals to become so desperate they agree to take pitcher Marcus Stroman and the $18 million he is owed for 2025 off their hands.

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