The New York Yankees reportedly discussed a massive trade for a player who would have changed everything for them.
The New York Yankees ended up not making any blockbuster moves this offseason, but that doesn't mean they didn't try.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post has reported that the Yankees held trade discussions for Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, who was mentioned as a surprise trade candidate earlier in the offseason.
However, the Rangers ultimately decided to hold on to Seager, who helped lead Texas to a World Series championship in 2023.
You do have to wonder, though, if those trade talks could revisited.
Seager is under contract with the Rangers through 2031 and is earning $31.5 million each season until then, so if Texas falls out of the playoff race before the August trade deadline, it may wish to get out from under Seager's deal.
The 31-year-old has had difficulty staying healthy throughout his big-league career, which began with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He signed with the Rangers as a free agent in December 2021.
Seager played in 151 games during his debut campaign in the Lone Star State, but has appeared in 119, 123 and 102 contests, respectively, since.
Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.The five-time All-Star has certainly been productive when he has been on the field, and last year, he slashed .271/.373/.487 with 21 home runs and 50 RBI over 445 plate appearances while playing elite defense, posting plus-16 DRS.
New York is entering 2026 with Jose Caballero at shortstop while Anthony Volpe recovers from offseason shoulder surgery, but it stands to reason that neither is the future for the Yankees at the position.
Volpe is a former first-round pick but has struggled over his first three big-league campaigns, so it wouldn't be completely shocking if New York tried to replace him.
That being said, the Yanks do have top prospect George Lombard Jr. in the minor leagues, so they probably wouldn't want to surrender a massive stash of young talent to pry Seager away from Texas.
Even still, the Yankees are an aging ballclub, and with Aaron Judge turning 34 next month, New York may want to do whatever it can to put a championship-caliber roster around Judge while it's still possible.
If the Yankees operate under that mindset between now and August, perhaps they will rekindle trade discussions with the Rangers regarding Seager, who owns a lifetime .871 OPS and smashed 30 or more homers three years in a row between 2022 and 2024.
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