The New York Yankees are expected to prepare for their post-Derek Jeter era, and this early the team is already targeting a replacement for their superstar shortstop, who announced that the 2014 MLB season will be his last.
According to Sports World Report, the Yankees will make a strong push to acquire big-name free agents or make trades for a shortstop after the upcoming season to fill the void Jeter will leave.
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Sources said that Hanley Ramirez. Stephen Drew, Troy Tulowitzki, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Starlin Castro are among the names to be mentioned in several Yankees trade rumors next offseason.
"The NY Yankees have an anticipated season ahead now that Derek Jeter is retiring and in 2015 the team will need a new shortstop, with possibilities like Hanley Ramirez, a Troy Tulowitzki or Starlin Castro trade, Asdrubal Cabrera, Stephen Drew and Brendan Ryan among many others heading into 2015," Sports World Report noted.
Aside from the soon-to-be-free-agents, the Yankees are also expected to go after Texas Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus.
The Rangers have been shopping the 25-year-old Venezuelan over the past few months, but has yet to find a taker. The Yankees could enter the fray and acquire the five-year veteran, who batted .271 with four homeruns and 67 RBIs last season.
Sources also added that Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar, who is set to earn $5 million in each of the last two seasons of his contract, could also be a cheaper alternative for the Yankees.
Escobar posted a .256 batting average in 153 games with nine homeruns and 56 RBIs for the Rays last season.
"The Texas Rangers had been shopping Andrus over [the] last offseason and that could be an option for the team, while Ramirez is set to be a free agent and that could be a perfect match for the team. Yunel Escobar also could be an option, as he has options over the next two seasons at $5 million and that is not a high salary for the team to deal with," Sports World Reports added.
There is also a chance that the Yankees could pull a trigger on a trade or possibly a deal with former Boston Red Sox Stephen Drew before or in the middle of the 2014 season, knowing that they need a backup should Jeter struggle to find his old form.
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