In trying to bolster their team depth, the New York Yankees have now claimed former Boston Red Sox shortstop Jeter Downs from waiver. His arrival to the team marks a new chapter in the history of the Yankees and the name “Jeter“, following the career of their legendary captain Derek Jeter. Downs, the 2017 draft pick was named after the MLB Hall of Fame.
Downs becomes one of the latest players to appear both for the Red Sox and the Yankees. He was originally traded to the Red Sox as a part of the trade deal for Mookie Betts by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The NY Yankees did not have a great time last season. The offense and defense both struggled at times leaving them fourth in the table. In order to improve from that performance, the Bronx Bombers have been highly active in the market and looking for various trades and free agents. They have now picked up Downs, the player named after their legendary captain.
The team has already got their hands on Alex Verdugo , who like Downs was a part of the Betts trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers. However, the biggest name to join them so far is Juan Soto. He joined the Yankees through a trade with the San Diego Padres that involved a total of seven players.
As the team actively pursues Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Downs was perhaps not the player fans were looking forward to hearing about. Nonetheless, his skills could prove crucial to the team.
Jeter Downs‘ MLB Career
Following the announcement of Jeter Downs, there were some fans who were left surprised. This was because some fans got confused with his name and assumed their former captain Derek Jeter had come out of retirement to help them out. Unfortunately for them, that was not the case. While the name of Downs may be unheard of, he does have the minimum experience of playing on the top level.
After being picked in the 2017 draft, Downs was unable to make a mark with the Cincinnati Reds and was traded away to the Dodgers. The Dodgers later traded him away to the Red Sox. It was the Boston club that gave him his MLB debut in July 2022.
Later that month Downs crossed paths with the Yankees. While facing them at the Bronx, Downs went on to record his first major league, RBI and home run. He was though unable to carry this momentum forward and was demoted to the minor league before being designated for assignment.
He was picked up by the Washington Nationals. Both Downs and Nationals struggled in 2023 with the Colombian international only making six appearances in total.
It is likely that Downs will not make the team straight and will have to push for a place in the starting line, Given the injury record of the Yankees in 2023, he could be a good back-up option to call upon if needed.
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