Although Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was looking to upgrade at the shortstop position at the trade deadline, he admittedly didn’t try hard enough.
In his end of the season press conference, Cashman acknowledged the elephant in the room, that shortstop is a major area of need since Gleyber Torres couldn’t cut it there (18 errors in 2021).
Now, the Yankees will possibly have their pick from a number of talented players in pending free agents Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Javier Báez and Marcus Semien.
And while the Yankees are expected to be in on a number of names in this shortstop class, there is one candidate in this group who they no longer fancy as much as they did in the past.
According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Yankees are unlikely to pursue Story.
"I heard some people in the front office have soured on him," Hoch recently said during a Q&A session on social media.
As Hoch went onto note, the Yankees attempted to trade for Story at the deadline in July, but they were unable to come to an agreement.
READ: MLB Insider Says These Three Free Agents Could Sign With Yankees
Regardless, Story would still be a significant boost to a roster that is in need of a shakeup this offseason. It’s hard to understand why the Yankees wouldn’t be looking at the soon-to-be 29-year-old as an option.
Despite enduring a bit of a down season compared to his normal standards (.251/.329/.471/.801, 24 home runs, 75 RBIs), Story has solidified himself as one of the top offensive shortstops in the game.
He is also a major power threat which would play well in Yankee Stadium. In six big-league seasons, Story has hit 35-or-more home runs twice and has never recorded less than 24 long balls across a full campaign.
In addition to his bat, Story brings along some speed, joining the 20-20 club last season. For Story, this was the third time in his career, where he stole at least 20 bases in a campaign. And he also made the All-Star team in 2018 and 2019, where he produced back-to-back 30-20 seasons.
On defense, Story is sound with the glove, notching nine defensive runs saved and a 3.6 UZR last season. And back in 2019, Story had an impressive 21 defensive runs saved in the field.
These tools make Story an automatic upgrade should the Yankees change their minds and ultimately decide to go after him in free agency.
READ: Should the Yankees Sign Javier Báez?
The only aspect that does not make Story a fit in the Bronx is he is a right-handed bat, which the Yankees have an oversaturation of in their lineup. He also strikes out at a high rate (139 in 2021), leading the league with 191 punch outs in 2019.
But even if Story’s performance last year turned them off, he still eclipsed a 4.2 bWAR, which makes him valuable.
So, while the Yankees might be better off landing a Seager, Correa or Báez, having Story as a potential fall back option wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
At the very least, the Yankees could still sign a premier bat in Story to plug into the middle of their order, who can steal bases and would also upgrade their defense.
Adding Story would enhance the Yankees’ roster in three essential areas on offense, defense and along the base paths, which Cashman must look to improve on during the offseason.
The Yankees’ reason for no longer being high on Story is currently unknown, but the numbers don’t lie in his career, which is why they should at least be interested in him on the open market this winter.
Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter (@ragazzoreport). Be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
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November 02, 2021 at 09:21PM
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Should the Yankees Sign Trevor Story? - Sports Illustrated
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