The Yankees could be looking to upgrade at third base.
According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Yankees — along with the Cubs and Blue Jays — are among six teams that have expressed interest in Matt Chapman.
Last month, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that signing the top
available third baseman was not on his radar.
“No,” Cashman said during the Winter Meetings. “It’s not an area of need. We have third base covered.” Last season for the Blue Jays, Chapman hit .240 with 17 homers, 54 RBI and a 108 OPS+. The 30-year-old spent the first five years of his career with the Oakland A’s and the last two with Toronto. He’s a three-time Gold Glove winner and has slashed .240/.320/.461 with 155 home runs, 426 RBI and a 117 OPS+ in his seven-year career. Adding Chapman would mean a role change for DJ LeMahieu, who is in the middle of a six-year $90 million contract that runs through 2026. But based on Cashman’s comments, the team plans to stick with the 35-year-old LeMahieu, who hit a career-low .234 with 15 home runs, 44 RBI and a 96 OPS+.