Yankees Can't Let Themselves Get Lowballed by Rangers in Potential Miguel Andujar Trade

The emergence of Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu has created a bit of logjam in the New York Yankees infield, and that could push budding third baseman Miguel Andujar out of town.

The defensively challenged but offensively gifted third baseman has popped up in trade rumors this offseason, with the Texas Rangers reportedly hot on his trail. However, the Yankees' price tag on Andujar could be too high.

Even if he's demanding an arm and a leg, however, Yankees GM Brian Cashman should hold firm.

Andujar is far from the kind of lost cause you look to ship elsewhere for 50 cents on the dollar. On almost every other team, save for a handful, he is not just a starter, but a star-level bat.

Andujar had just six hits in 47 at bats (good for a .128 average and -26 OPS+) during his 2019 season, but he hit 27 home runs, 47 doubles, and drove in 92 runs while hitting .297 during his rookie year, narrowly missing out on the AL Rookie of the Year award to Shohei Ohtani.

Pumping up Andujar's value might prove difficult after the nightmarish 2019 season he had to suffer through, but he was an elite offensive third baseman the last time he was fully healthy. To accept something along the lines of a garden-variety middle reliever in exchange for him would be something akin to criminal.