It’s no secret that the New York Yankees are in dire need of infield depth. Paul Goldschmidt and Anthony Volpe are locked in at first base and shortstop, respectively, but injuries to Jazz Chisholm and Oswaldo Cabrera have created vacancies at the two other infield positions. The Yankees have been relying on guys like DJ LeMahieu, Jorbit Vivas, and Oswald Peraza for now, but the Atlanta Braves might’ve gifted them an ideal fit by designating Orlando Arcia for assignment.
At this point, the Braves parting ways with Arcia isn’t too shocking. He broke out for Atlanta in 2023, but had a down year in 2024, and is slashing .194/.219/.226 with only one extra-base hit while being limited to 32 plate appearances. He began the year as the team’s starting shortstop, but Nick Allen took his job pretty quickly and has not given up the reins.
It might not be ideal for a team like the Yankees to go after a player who was DFA’d, but at this point, what do they have to lose?
Yankees should consider taking a flier on Orlando Arcia after Braves DFA infielder
Arcia has regressed pretty heavily over the past two seasons, but not too long ago, he was an All-Star. In the 2023 season, he hit 17 home runs, drove in 65 runs, and had a .741 OPS while playing a great defensive shortstop. His bat has slowed down since, but his glove remains good.
Perhaps with a change of scenery, Arcia can find his All-Star swing. Even if he can’t, he can chip in defensively at second base and third base on certain days, and if we’re being honest, is he not an upgrade over Pablo Reyes?
Despite being on the team’s roster all year, Reyes has appeared in just 19 games and has accumulated only 27 plate appearances. He’s gone 4-for-25 with all four of his hits being singles, and he’s struck out nine times. He pinch runs on occasion, but that’s something a guy like Peraza can do in his place.
The Yankees are in a position right now where they can take a flier on a former All-Star like Arcia. If it works out, they add much-needed infield depth. If it doesn’t, it wouldn’t cost anything but money, which the Yankees have tons of (even if they don’t want to admit it).
Their overall team is good, but their infield depth is enough of a concern that they need to be experimenting right now. Arcia is a player worth trying out.
