Seattle Mariners: Mitch Haniger’s Top 5 Potential Trade Destinations

NEW YORK YANKEES

If you haven’t figured it out by now, there just isn’t a great market out there for Haniger right now. Each team mentioned up to this point could use him, but they don’t really need him, necessarily. That’s the case once again with our fifth and final team on this list, the New York Yankees.

Despite playing the majority of this season without Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, the Yankees currently hold first place in the AL East, because that’s just what the Yankees do. Both Judge and Stanton are expected to return this week, with the latter even anticipated to be back as soon as today.

In the time both were gone, New York’s outfield mainly consisted of Cameron Maybin, Brett Gardner, and Mike Tauchman. When Aaron Hicks returned from a shoulder issue, Tauchman was bounced from the everyday lineup. But even with Hicks in the mix, the Yankees’ outfield has been lackluster.

Of course, re-adding Stanton and Judge will significantly change that outlook. But Stanton is likely heading back to his natural role as the team’s mainline designated hitter, while Judge will take over duties in right field. This means that former Mariner Edwin Encarnación should be their primary first baseman, while Luke Voit may see time in a corner outfield spot.

Defensively, an outfield of Voit/Gardner, Hicks, and Judge isn’t entirely ideal. And while Hicks has been one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game, his offensive numbers have taken a massive dip this year. So have Gardner’s, meaning the Yankees will likely have to sacrifice defense for offense or vice-versa when putting their lineup together this year.

If they don’t want to have that issue and just want to go all-in on 2019, then Haniger is their guy. But again, they could use him, but don’t necessarily need him. To the Yankees, Haniger is the definition of “luxury.” This is, however, the MLB’s most luxurious team we’re talking about, so it’s not entirely out of the question and is why the Yankees have landed on this list.