Yankees Potential Replacements for Chase Headley

Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports

Matt Linder

A little over a week ago, the Yankees made a huge splash, trading for the reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton.  A few days later, the team traded Chase Headley and his $13M salary, along with Bryan Mitchell, to the Padres.  In return, the Yankees received outfielder Jabari Blash, who will likely never wear the pinstripes.  With the organization’s clear goal of getting under the $197M luxury tax limit in 2018, the deal is an obvious salary dump.  Even after re-signing CC Sabathia for one year and $10M, Brian Cashman has about $20M to play with and is still aggressively looking to add a young starting pitcher to the rotation.  Although trading Headley provides the team with more salary relief and flexibility, it also leaves an opening at third base.  Let’s take a look at some potential players who could replace Chase at the hot corner.

Since top prospect Miguel Andujar should be the team’s in-house third base option by 2019 (at the latest), I am going to focus on players who the Yankees would not be contractually obligated to past this season.

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Yangervis Solarte is a player who would fit perfectly with the team in 2018.  Yankee fans should be familiar with his name since he actually played in the Bronx before being traded to the Padres for Chase Headley (ironic, I know).  Solarte is not a great player, but he would be a more-than-serviceable stopgap until Andujar is ready in 2019.  Solarte hit a career high 18 home runs last season, while playing his home games in an extremely pitcher friendly ball park in San Diego.  Although his power numbers increased tremendously in 2017, his batting average and OBP decreased.  However, Solarte is a high contact hitter, which is something the Yankees lineup could use, and he provides positional versatility.  Also, he is a switch hitter; although better from the left side.  Solarte is a low cost option; his cap hit is slightly under $4M.  After the season, he has two team options, but the Yankees can simply buy him out at the end of the year for $750K if they decide to transition to Andujar in 2019.  Considering that the Padres are rebuilding, he should not cost a top prospect, he has a low strikeout rate and he is only a one year obligation, Solarte seems to be a good fit to replace Headley. 

Steven Bisig/USA Today Sports

Oakland’s Jed Lowrie is another option to play the hot corner in 2018.  Like Solarte, he is a switch hitter who is not a career third basemen, but he has played there throughout his career.  Lowrie is coming off of an extremely productive season in which he reached base in 36% of his at bats, while also posting a career high in slugging percentage.  He finished second in all of baseball with 49 doubles last season.  A transition from the spacious Oakland Coliseum to the friendlier confines of Yankee Stadium may turn some of those two-baggers into dingers.  Lowrie will be a free agent at the end of the season and since the A’s seem to be rebuilding, he should be available for the Yankees to acquire.  He would increase the team’s payroll by roughly $8M.

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Whether or not the Yankees make a deal with the Pirates for Gerrit Cole, they could target David Freese as Headley’s replacement.  He had a strong 2017 season in which he hit .268 with a stellar OBP of .368.  Freese is a good defensive third basemen with notable post-season experience for whatever that is worth.  He does not provide much power at the plate, but the current lineup is not in any need of additional pop.  Freese is an inexpensive replacement, only increasing the payroll by less than $4M.  The Pirates’ third baseman has a team option for the 2019 season and can be bought out for $500K.  He does not block Miguel Andujar (or Manny Machado) from wearing pinstripes in 2019, but he would be a nice veteran contributor this upcoming season.

I think the Yankees will try to fill Chase Headley’s spot via trade rather than free agency since the market for cheap infielders is extremely limited.  Yunel Escobar could be a last resort since he had a nice 2016 campaign, but he is coming off of an injury-plagued 2017 and his defense has declined over the past few years.  Howie Kendrick would be a nice fit, but I think he will get a multi-year deal after his strong 2017 season.  The Yankees may be willing to go two years for Kendrick, using him as a super utility left field, third base, second base, first base option.  The team could also bring back Todd Frazier.  He is supposedly looking for a multi-year deal, but if he is willing to sign for one year with an option for a second, the Yankees might consider it depending on the price tag.

Chase Headley had a much-maligned Yankees career, but he had several memorable moments (walk off home run in his team debut and the stumbling double).  He always played hard and represented the organization positively.  Good luck, Chase!

If you have any questions, comments or criticisms feel free to reach out to me at mattlinder2@gmail.com