Brian McCann was expected to get most of the starts at DH for the Yankees in 2017. But as of yesterday he’s no longer a Yankee, so New York is in the market for a designated hitter. There are a lot of options out there in that regard. To that end, Jon Heyman reports that they’re “seriously looking” at Carlos Beltran and Edwin Encarnacion.
Beltran, of course, played for the Yankees in 2014, 2015 and for 99 games last year before being traded to Texas. He’d be more of a short term option for New York. Encarnacion might prove to be a better bat than Beltran, but he won’t come cheaply, as he’s reportedly in the market for a four-year deal. The Yankees have been trying to move away from long-term commitments to veterans over 30, so signing Encarnacion, while certainly defensible, would be a bit out of step with the club’s new approach.
While the free agent market is thin, it’s not too bad for those seeking a slugger. The Yankees’ interest will likely heat that market up considerably.