New York Yankees missed out on yet another left-field candidate as Kole Calhoun signed a minor league deal with Seattle Mariners.
The New York Yankees have always been a team that is constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their roster. This off-season, they spent over $500 million on four players alone. However, despite spending ridiculous amounts of money, the Yankees have an incomplete roster. For instance, the Bombers have a major hole in the left field as they do not have any designated outfielder for the spot.
The Yankees also tried to buy out a lot of players in free agency. However, none of the deals went ahead as the organization faced luxury tax regulations. Hence, in order to avoid penalties, the Yanks stayed away from any deals. Further, as they moved on to find a trade deal, the Pirates’ last-minute demands led to its collapse. Now, another potential left fielder is out of the Yankees’ reach.
Yankees Watch In Dismay As Kole Calhoun Signs A Minor League Deal With Seattle
Kole Calhoun is a veteran outfielder who has spent a significant time of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is known for his consistent hitting and solid defense, and he would have been a good fit for the Yankees’ left-field situation. Last season, he signed with the Texas Rangers and had a fair season by scoring 196/.257/.330 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs in total. And as the outfielder moves to free agency, the fans hoped the Yanks would consider him in the mix.
However, to everyone’s disappointment, Kole signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners with an additional invite to the major league spring training. Although, adding Calhoun to the mix would have provided the Yankees with another solid option and some much-needed depth in the outfield. But, Kole’s injury history could be one of the reasons the Yanks decided not to go after the outfielder. Still, Kole could have landed in the bullpen in a cheap deal, and that way, they could have avoided the luxury tax regulation.
Captain Aaron Judge To Experiment In Left Field
Meanwhile, as the left field woes look far from resolved, the Yankees captain Aaron Judge has decided to step up. The natural right fielder, who never played left field in the major league, is ready to take the left field this season. Apparently, Judge proposed a plan to Aaron Boone, which includes him on the left, Giancarlo Stanton on the right, and Harrison Bader in the center.
While the move looks sketchy as of now, the coaching department looks highly interested and is likely to give it a go-ahead. Aaron Judge is an outstanding slugger with good defensive skills. Hence, Aaron Judge in left field will be an interesting watch. Meanwhile, the Yankees are all set to begin their Grapefruit league campaign today as they plan the league opener against the Phillies.