MLB Rumors: Yankees Looking At Stop-Gap SS Solution

 

Well, this isn't exactly Carlos Correa or Trevor Story. Heck, it's barely even Didi Gregorius. But the New York Yankees are said to be considering a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed. 

The Yankees are one of four teams tied to trade rumors surrounding the all-defense, no-hit D-Backs shortstop, and they'll have to "out-bid" the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros to get him. 

Ahmed is a prime defender at the position, a two-time Gold Glove winner (2018-19), but his career average of .236, and OPS+ of 76 (league average is 100) are dreadful. 

This wouldn't the first time the Yanks have had interest in Ahmed. They considered dealing for him in 2018, and 2017. 

Nowadays, the Yankees have a pair of elite shortstop prospects in the system, in Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, so investing huge 9-figure long-term dollars in free agents Correa or Story might mean they would have to be agreeable to a position change in a year or two. 

Both Volpe and Peraza have a target major league ETA of 2023. So to bring in a defensive wiz like Ahmed for a year would be nothing more than a stop-gap measure, though not exactly what Yankee fans want to see.  

The other option being considered is the potential plan to convert 30-year-old third baseman Gio Urshela to short, though there's no telling how that would work out over a full 162-game season. 

Photo Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports