The New York Yankees lost outfielder Andrew Benintendi in free agency. The young infielder signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. it is the largest guaranteed contract a team has ever given a player.
With Benintendi going to Chicago, the Yankees have a new hole in the outfield. He played 33 games in left field after being traded from the Kansas City Royals last season.
A combination of Aaron Hicks and Oswald Cabrera is expected to make up for Benintendi’s absence. Hicks struggled for much of the 2022 season, with his season cut short by a knee injury in the ALCS. Cabrera is a utility player who made his debut last season. While he flashed leather during his time with the team last season, he is young and inexperienced.
Fans seem divided on whether they believe the team regrets not extending Benintendi. Some think this is the team’s biggest regret of the offseason, while others think his loss isn’t a big deal at all.
“Awesome,” replied one fan.
“No, 5 years too long,” tweeted another fan.
Some fans think dedicating five years to Benintendi is too much and are happy the team decided not to go that route.
Other fans think the move paves the way for Jason Dominguez to be called up. He is a highly touted prospect who many around the league think will take over the game. It is built as a smaller version of the Incredible Hulk.
The New York Yankees are ready to start the season with their latest coaching addition
The Yankees announced Monday that they have hired Brad Wilkerson as the club’s assistant hitting coach. He previously spent the last three seasons at Jacksonville University as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2021, he led Jacksonville to the ASUN Conference Championship.
Wilkerson also worked as a baseball coach in the USA, where he was named “Volunteer Coach of the Year”. He’s excited to work with some of the greatest hitters the game has to offer, like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
The team had several periods where everyone seemed to be in a slump. If they can overcome that and remain productive throughout the year, look for the New York Yankees to compete for a World Series title.