The New York Yankees injury list is reaching unwieldy levels. The latest additions came on Monday when both third baseman D.J. LeMahieu and starting pitcher Luis Gil went down with a sore calf and lat strain, respectively. Even before the Yankees’ string of injuries kicked in, there was already a hole in the infield left behind by seven-year second baseman Gleyber Torres, who signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Tigers.
To provide at least a patch for the infield gap, New York Post columnist Joel Sherman — who has covered the Yankees for that paper for 36 years — proposed a trade on Tuesday that would bring a six-year veteran, who put up a respectable .763 OPS last season, to the Bronx — while shipping the Yankees’ fourth outfielder, who just returned from injury himself this week, to Southern California.
Under Sherman’s trade idea, the Yankees would send outfielder Trent Grisham to the Los Angeles Angels, along with 29-year-old righty Ian Hamilton — who recorded a 3.82 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings out of the Yankees bullpen last year — and either Oswald Peraza or Yoendrys Gomez.
In exchange, the Yankees would acquire Luis Rengifo.
Grisham is set to make $5 million on a one-year contract in 2025. Rengifo, also on a one-year deal, is due $5.95 million, meaning their salaries almost offset.
“Why would the Angels do this?” Sherman asks. “Rengifo is a free agent after this season. The Angels signed Yoan Moncada to play third base.”
In addition, the Post columnist notes, “no team moves its first round picks to the majors faster than the Angels.” After promoting 2022 first rounder (13th overall) Zach Neto to the big club after just 28 minor league games, and 2023 No. 13 overall pick Nolan Schanuel to the majors after only 22, the Angels are set to do it again.
“You know who is the talk of the Angels’ current camp?” Sherman asked. “Brooklyn native Christian Moore, a second baseman taken eighth overall last year who has played 25 minor league games.”
Moore is believed to have a good chance of breaking camp with the major league Angels roster after spring training, according to Sherman.
As for what the Yankees could expect from Rengifo, that answer goes beyond merely filling a defensive gap in the infield. The switch-hitting 28-year-old from Venezuela sports a career OPS of .771 against left-handed pitching. That’s 50 points higher than what the Yankees as a team were able to manage against southpaws in 2024.
One potential drawback in acquiring Rengifo would be the infielder’s right wrist. He injured the wrist in July, missed three weeks, only to find that when he returned he managed only nine games before requiring season-ending surgery.
But Rengifo now says, according to MLB.com, that he had a “normal” offseason and feels “good and ready to go.” He added he wants to be on the field for every game, but will he play those games in an Angels uniform, or in Yankee pinstripes?
