Yankees Interested in Reunion Fan Favorite
Spring Training is almost approaching, and the New York Yankees appear to be active in the free agency market. Gio Urshela has piqued the Yankees’ interest, according to Jon Morosi. The Miami Marlins and New York Mets are reportedly also expressing interest, according to Morosi.
Before being transferred to the Minnesota Twins with Gary Sanchez in exchange for Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, he played for New York for the 2019 and 2021 seasons. With 13 home runs in 144 games, Urshela slashed.285/.338/.429 while playing nicely for the Twins. In 2023, the 32-year-old was last saw playing for the Los Angeles Angels. Before suffering a season-ending injury, he slashed.299/.329/.374 in 62 games with just two home runs.
The Yankees may need another infielder because they have six infielders on their 40-man roster, including Jorbit Vivas, who hasn’t yet made his big league debut. How much Urshela would fetch in free agency is unknown, but at a low cost, he may be a decent pinch-hitter.
His work with New York was consistently reliable. 2021 was his greatest season, with 21 home runs and a.314/.355/.534 batting line. He also had an outstanding 2021 season, hitting 14 home runs and slashing.267/.301/.419 in the process. When the Yankees made the trade, it looked dubious, and the output they received from Donaldson and Kiner-Falefa made it appear even worse. During their tenure in the Bronx, they were adored by the fans despite their poor performance.
