During this offseason, the Yankees have been rumored to be in need of infield help, with Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado being linked to the club. The speculation was that one of them would become the new third baseman for New York, allowing Jazz Chisholm Jr. to take over at second base. However, according to Jack Curry on the YES Network’s “Yankees Hot Stove” show, the Yankees are not pursuing either Bregman or Arenado. This contradicts a report from last week that claimed the Yankees offered Marcus Stroman to the Cardinals in a trade for Arenado, which was rejected by St. Louis.
It’s possible that the Yankees’ interest in Arenado was limited to a scenario involving Stroman’s contract. However, even if the Yankees were interested, Arenado may not be willing to join the team. Reports suggest he is only willing to waive his no-trade clause for six other teams, none of which include the Yankees. This, along with the Yankees’ current payroll situation being over the luxury tax threshold, may explain why Bregman and Arenado are not top targets for New York.
The Tigers, on the other hand, have shown increasing interest in Bregman. Detroit’s offseason moves have been minimal, with Alex Cobb being their biggest signing so far. Despite the Tigers’ hesitation to meet Bregman’s reported asking price, they are still in discussions with his camp. Detroit was initially seen as a potential landing spot for Bregman due to his history with manager A.J. Hinch and the team’s financial flexibility after their surprising postseason run last year.
As for the Astros, they seem to be moving on from Bregman after acquiring Christian Walker to play first base. GM Dana Brown indicated that negotiations with Bregman stalled, leading the team to pursue other options. While not ruling out a return for Bregman, the Astros appear to be focusing on other players to fill their corner infield positions.
