With the New York Yankees trading Chase Headley during the Winter Meetings, it seemed all signs were pointing to a reunion with Todd Frazier.
However, that may not be the case.
A source told NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty that the Yankees desire to stay under the $197 million threshold for the 2018 season has kept both sides from talking much this winter.
Frazier, who is interested in a multi-year deal, has been talking with other clubs this winter. It’s currently unclear how much money Frazier is seeking, but the Yankees luxury tax currently stands at $178 million. Frazier made $12 million between the Chicago White Sox and the Yankees last season.
The Yankees currently have a hole at both second and third base after sending Headley to the San Diego Padres and Starlin Castro to the Miami Marlins. However, Brian Cashman seems more inclined to let the kids fight for a roster spot in Spring Training. Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, Tyler Wade, and Ronald Torreyes are candidates to play the vacated positions, but the Yankees could fill one of the positions with someone more seasoned.
While Frazier’s off the field antics excited Yankees fans, notably the ‘thumbs down’ war cry, his performance on the field was mixed. In 66 games with the Yankees, Frazier hit .222 with 11 homers and a .786 OPS. But in 13 postseason games, Frazier hit .186 with one homer and a .558 OPS.
Despite Frazier keeping his options open, he’s publicly stated he’d love to return to the Yankees.
“At the end of the day, I just want to play baseball,” Frazier said Dec. 16. “I would love to play for the Yankees. I would love to play for any team. Like I said, we’ve been talking. My agency has been doing a heck of a job talking to a lot of teams for me. We’ve got a lot of great talks and hopefully at the end, something comes to fruition soon.”
