Yankees to re-sign Stephen Drew

The Yankees are reportedly close to re-signing Stephen Drew to a one-year deal worth $5 million.

The deal includes incentives that could bring that total to $7 million.

Drew, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees last season, is expected to play second base while serving as insurance at shortstop for recently acquired Didi Gregorius.

In 2014, Drew signed late after failing to get the contract he wanted and hit .167/.232/.299 while splitting the year between Boston and the Yankees.

Thoughts:

With the Mets still in need of a shortstop upgrade, but the club still maintaining that Wilmer Flores is likely to be the shortstop on Opening Day, Drew re-signing with the Yankees is noteworthy.

While Drew struggled last season and isn’t an exciting name, he would’ve been a decent gamble for the Mets at just $5 million guaranteed to either start at shortstop or serve as insurance in the event Flores struggles defensively.

Drew, who turns 32 in March, hit .253/.333/.443 for the Red Sox in 2013 while playing terrific defense at shortstop. For his career, Drew has hit .256/.322/.425.

Although Drew was solid for the majority of his career before his struggles last season, there’s a chance his abysmal 2014 was a sign of things to come. Still, if the choice was the defensively challenged Wilmer Flores or Stephen Drew, it might have behooved the Mets to go with Drew – at least as the long end of a platoon.

Again, Stephen Drew is not the name most Mets fans wanted. But he’s someone who could’ve been had on a reasonable one-year deal.

With Drew now off the board, the Mets could turn to the trade market – where their focus should’ve been anyway – and explore a potential deal with Seattle for either Brad Miller or Chris Taylor. Or they could swing for the fences and reignite talks with Colorado regarding Troy Tulowitzki.

Another shortstop option is the recently DFA’d Erisbel Arruebarrena, who will likely soon pass through waivers before getting outrighted to the minors by the Dodgers.