Scooter Gennett New York Yankees
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Another Bronx infield option has emerged, as the New York Yankees are reportedly talking with the Cincinnati Reds about a potential Scooter Gennett trade.

Aaron Case

When it comes to filling the infield hole created by the Didi Gregorius injury, the New York Yankees must be careful to avoid analysis paralysis. The latest in a slew of options is Cincinnati second baseman Scooter Gennet.

According to Fancred’s Jon Heyman, New York has at least floated the idea of trading for the Reds’ star:

The Reds have shown interest in Sonny Gray, so the Bombers already have a starting point for trade talks.

Gennett started his career with Milwaukee, but he blossomed into an All-Star in Cincy. The 28-year-old has posted 20-plus home runs and 90-plus RBI in each of the past two seasons. He’s also a career .289 hitter with a lefty swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium.

If the Yankees pull off a trade for Gennett, fans can start dreaming of a repeat of his four-homer game in 2017.

As Heyman noted in his Tweet, the Bombers are also considering a few free agent infielders.

Josh Harrison and Marwin Gonzalez are the less flashy choices, but both are solid career hitters. Either could prove useful as a backup or trade bait when Gregorius returns.

Then, of course, there’s Manny Machado. Signing him would heavily impact the organization for the next decade or so, which is probably why the team has inquired after Gennett.

In addition to external pieces, the Yankees have possible solutions already on their roster. Gleyber Torres, the current second baseman, can slide over to short, and someone like Tyler Wade or Hanser Alberto can grab second.

Highly regarded prospect Thairo Estrada could even have a chance to win the second base fill-in job in Spring Training. He’s just 22 years old, though, so he’d have to really turn heads to prove he’s ready.

Brian Cashman and company’s wariness in free agency so far is lending credence to every hint of a trade rumor. That’s a great reason to keep an eye on this Scooter Gennett business.


Freelance editor and writer, and full-time Yankees fan. Originally from Monticello, NY, but now lives in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.