The Blue Jays’ star player, Slugger, could be a “significant upgrade” for the Yankees if they sign one of the best third basemen in baseball this offseason.
In 2023, New York’s poor offensive performance was its main problem. With one of the worst offenses in baseball, the Yankees may have won a lot more games and secured a postseason berth. As it stands, they won 82 games.
The Yankees could most definitely use some assistance at third base. While D.J. LeMahieu is in New York, he needs an upgrade. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Matt Chapman of the Toronto Blue Jays is one player who might make sense.
“D.J. LeMahieu is currently penciled in as the Yankees’ third baseman, though the veteran may be better-suited in a super-utility role,” said Feinsand. “Second-year infielder Oswald Peraza could also see time at the hot corner, though the Yankees could view Chapman as a significant upgrade after their third basemen combined for a .655 OPS, the fourth-worst mark in the AL.”
This offseason, Chapman has been connected to the Yankees on several occasions. This is not entirely unexpected. He could be an improvement for New York as he is the best third baseman available as a free agent.
A move for Chapman might not happen if the Yankees are able to sign Juan Soto, Cody Bellinger, or Yoshinobu Yamamoto. This is because of financial constraints. But Chapman might be a great fallback if they were to lose out on one of the other available stars.