The Yankees have signed veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple‑A Scranton/Wilkes‑Barre, according to Conor Foley of the YES Network.
While the move may not register as blockbuster news, it quietly addresses an area of need: third base. Candelario has logged nearly 700 career games at third in the majors, including 12 starts at the hot corner earlier this season with the Reds. And with the Yankees struggling to find consistency at the position, every option is on the table.
The Yankees currently have Jazz Chisholm Jr. playing third base, but he has been vocal about feeling more comfortable at second base. DJ LeMahieu has been playing second since he came off the injured list. The Yankees are said to be in the market for a third baseman at the trade deadline, but with the news Saturday that Clarke Schmidt will likely need season-ending surgery there’s a long list of needs.
Cincinnati recently released the 31-year-old switch-hitting Candelario after hitting just .113 with one home run in 22 games, his season derailed by a lingering back injury. But he’s not far removed from a strong 2023 season when he hit .251 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs across time with the Nationals and Cubs.
This is a classic low-risk, potential-reward signing. If Candelario can get healthy and find his swing again in Scranton, he could give the Yankees a veteran third baseman with actual upside.
He’s not a savior, and this isn’t the blockbuster movie Yankees fans were hoping for.. But for a team trying to plug a lot of roster holes and survive the grind, it’s a smart move.
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