Miguel Andujar is back in Triple-A after his recent demotion, but he doesn’t want to be there.
The outfielder reportedly requested a trade from the Yankees when he was sent down on June 4, a result of his "lack of a consistent opportunity" in the Bronx.
New York doesn't have to trade Andújar, but according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the organization has done their best to move the 27-year-old. The reason he hasn't been dealt yet is that the offers the Yankees have been receiving simply "haven't been good enough," per Heyman.
As much as Andújar was swinging a relatively hot bat leading up to his return to Triple-A—hitting .250 (9-for-36) with a .569 OPS over 10 games—his value has understandably decreased over the years.
It's been four seasons since Andújar finished second to Shohei Ohtani in the American League Rookie of the Year race, smacking 47 doubles and 27 home runs in 149 games. Since then, the former highly-touted prospect has battled his fair share of injuries and struggled to secure a spot on the big-league roster, often spending extended period relegated to Triple-A.
There is certainly plenty of potential for Andújar. He's proven that he has what it takes to contribute at this level and he has two more years of team control before he's scheduled to hit free agency (in 2025). There's no way to know for sure how he'll perform over a full season, though. Again, it's been four years since his last campaign with more than 45 games played.
Is there another team out there willing to send some young talent to the Yankees, taking a risk on a right-handed hitter with some upside that can play third base, first base and left field?
Barring any injuries or unforeseen circumstances in the Bronx, however, it doesn't seem like Andújar is going to factor into the big-league equation this summer. With Matt Carpenter's historic first impression and Marwin Gonzalez's ability to play multiple positions, New York has a sufficient amount of depth on their bench as of now.
In five games since returning to the RailRiders, Andújar is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with a pair of doubles, four runs scored and four runs batted in.
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