Inbox: Could one NY move be trading Voit?
The Yankees may seem quiet at the moment, but gears are churning close to the surface while the team regroups to take another run at a championship in 2021. As we wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday, here is a peek into what fans are discussing in the
The Yankees may seem quiet at the moment, but gears are churning close to the surface while the team regroups to take another run at a championship in 2021. As we wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday, here is a peek into what fans are discussing in the latest edition of the Yankees Inbox:
What are the chances of a Luke Voit trade?
-- Julian G., Oakland, N.J.
That has been suggested in a few media reports, proposing that the Yankees could cash in on a breakout season in which
• MLB Free Agent & Hot Stove Tracker
Coaches were impressed by the physical condition Voit showed coming into Summer Camp -- he dropped about 15 to 20 pounds by what he called “clean eating” -- and continued that routine even while dealing with plantar fasciitis. Voit is a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat, so while his trade value could be substantial, so is his importance to the Yankees. He recently told the YES Network that he hasn’t been bothered by hearing his name in Hot Stove rumors, but he would prefer to remain in New York.
“It’s part of it; everyone’s name is going to be thrown around,’’ Voit said. “Everyone is a GM, and everyone wants to talk baseball somehow and make the perfect trade. You don’t know what is going to happen.’’
Is the front office chalking 2020 up to COVID or is there real panic over how the anointed offseason favorites finished behind the Rays, losing in the ALDS?
-- Alex L., Washington, D.C.
I would characterize it more as disappointment than panic. The term you always hear managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman use is “championship-caliber,” and they both believed that the 2020 roster was strong enough to win a World Series. The inconsistency of the year is what sticks out; the Yanks looked terrific early, winning 16 of 22 before going into a 5-15 tailspin. That was followed by a 10-game winning streak when they were crushing the ball at a ridiculous level, and then a limp to the finish line. Even in the playoffs, they left Cleveland after sweeping the AL Wild Card Series and got through the first game against Tampa Bay believing that they would go all the way, clicking at just the right time.
That inconsistency might have smoothed out over a 162-game schedule; we’ll never know for sure. Every loss in the shortened season felt like it counted more than a win. Cashman recently said that he was telling people a couple of years ago that the Rays were legitimate and would be a thorn in their sides for years to come. We all see that now, and with real dislike between the clubs, it is shaping up as a rivalry to watch.
It appears that the DJ LeMahieu outcome will trigger many other possible moves. When can we expect to get an answer on DJ?
-- Todd L., Western Massachusetts
That’s the million-dollar question -- by some estimates, perhaps as much as $100 million. In a recent MLB.com roundtable, we pegged
Do you see a reunion with Didi Gregorius as a backup plan if LeMahieu doesn’t come back?
-- Rich B., New York, N.Y.
It’s probably not off the table, even though
• Here are the top 25 free agents for 2020-21
Do you think we will see a full season in 2021?
-- Staci B., New York, N.Y.
I’m hopeful for 162 games, as are Major League Baseball and the Yankees, though the virus will have the ultimate say. There are already a few players working out at the team’s facility in Tampa, Fla., with more expected after the Thanksgiving holiday. The league is preparing as though everything will begin on the normal schedule, meaning pitchers and catchers report to camps in Arizona and Florida in early February. The Yanks’ first game of Spring Training is set for Feb. 27 against the Tigers, though as manager Aaron Boone says, 2020 has taught everyone to “stay in the athletic position” if changes are necessary.
Is there any update on a Francisco Lindor trade, and are the Yankees interested?
-- Pete J., Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Indians’ cost-cutting measure with closer Brad Hand signaled a likelihood that they will look to trade
MLB.com recently suggested that the Yankees could swap Clint Frazier, Miguel Andújar and two of their top pitching prospects -- Luis Gil and Albert Abreu -- to Cleveland for Lindor. That seems like a plausible ask on the Cleveland side, and simultaneously too high of a price for the Yankees to pay. Why not wait until Lindor reaches free agency after the 2021 season?
What are the chances that James Paxton and Tommy Kahnle come back on rehab deals?
-- Mike L., Edgewater, Fla.
Despite
Bryan Hoch has covered the Yankees for MLB.com since 2007. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and Facebook.