The New York Yankees are addicted to the long ball, and that addiction is threatening to blind them to the realities of roster construction. It is a harsh truth that every fan needs to accept: adding a 26-homer bat sounds fantastic until you realize that player has nowhere to stand when he isn’t holding a bat.
According to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, the Yankees have checked in on veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, a move that screams “talent acquisition” rather than “team building.” While the offensive numbers are seductive, the defensive metrics suggest that signing Polanco would be like buying a Ferrari engine and trying to install it in a go-kart.
An Offensive Renaissance That Cannot Be Ignored
If you look strictly at the batter’s box, Polanco is a perfect fit for a lineup desperate for right-handed power. The 31-year-old played 138 games this past season and put together a slash line of .265/.326/.495. He launched 26 homers and drove in 78 runs, posting a 132 wRC+ that indicates he was 32% better than the league average hitter.
But the most shocking development was his plate discipline. Polanco had a 29.2% strikeout rate in 2024 and somehow lowered that number by roughly 14% to just 15.6% in 2025. That is an astronomical difference for a veteran player. He represents a tremendous power bat the Yankees can utilize to balance the lineup, and his ability to crush pitching from both sides of the plate is a rare commodity.
The Defensive Liability No One Wants To Talk About
However, you have to play the field, and this is where the Polanco dream falls apart. His defense is suspect pretty much anywhere he plays, and the Yankees already have enough defensive questions without adding another one.
Polanco spent 43 innings at third base and 287.1 at second base this past year, and the results weren’t exactly pretty. He combined for -4 defensive runs saved and -4 outs above average in that limited sample size. If you extrapolate that over a full season, you are looking at a defensive black hole. The Yankees pride themselves on run prevention, and Polanco actively works against that goal every time he puts on a glove.
A Roster With No Vacancy
The logistical problem is even harder to solve than the defensive one. Polanco featured primarily as the Mariners’ designated hitter, but in the Bronx, that spot is permanently occupied by Giancarlo Stanton. Unless Stanton is injured, there really isn’t anywhere for Polanco to fill that role.
The Yankees just don’t have an available DH or defensive spot for him. The only potential fit is shoehorning him into the hot corner as a platoon option alongside Ryan McMahon, but even that feels forced. You don’t pay free agent premiums for the short side of a platoon who gives back runs on defense. Polanco is a great hitter without a home in New York, and trying to force him into this roster is a recipe for disaster.