The jokes are writing themselves for the New York Yankees.
The Yankees made a notable move on Tuesday, claiming former top prospect Jeter Downs off waivers. The 25-year-old shortstop got designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals earlier this month.
The move by the Yankees led to everybody on social media making the same joke — that the Yankees had added Jeter.
Downs plays shortstop — the same position as Derek Jeter — and was named after the retired Yankees legend when he was born in 1998. On top of that, Jeter himself sent a notable message to Downs upon his MLB debut.
The righty bat was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 and later found himself as part of two prominent trades — being dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Yasiel Puig trade and then to the Boston Red Sox as a piece for Mookie Betts. The Nationals claimed Downs after he was DFA’d by Boston following the 2022 season, and now Downs has found his way into the Yankees organization.
Expectations aren't high for Downs anymore, a career .238 hitter over six minor-league seasons and a .182 hitter over 50 total plate appearances in the bigs. But perhaps it was fate that Downs would end up on the Yankees.
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