The New York Yankees are rolling into June, riding a five-game winning streak — and nine wins in their last 10 — into Dodger Stadium for a three-game interleague set and rematch of last year’s World Series against Los Angeles.
But even as they enjoy a 6 1/2 game lead over the second place Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, the Bronx Bombers are not without problems that, without solutions, threaten to blow up their season.
Among the biggest: what to do about third base.
With injuries to D.J. LeMahieu and Jazz Chisholm, the Yankees have been without a real third baseman all season. Neither of those players, actually, are natural third basemen, both more comfortable at second — though manager Aaron Boone has Chisholm slated to take over third when his current rehab assignment is complete.
Just as Oswaldo Cabrera was settling in at the position, he suffered a horrific ankle injury on a play at the plate in Seattle earlier this month, ending his season.
Various ideas to fill the hot corner slot at Yankee Stadium have been floated over the past months, but a new trade proposal by writer Jacob Mountz of Yardbarker could give the Yankees the most economical option yet, and one that could solve the defending AL champs’ third base problem for the next six years at least.
“Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby was the Orioles’ No. 7 prospect as recently as last year. In his 2024 rookie campaign, Norby hit .236 with nine home runs in 176 at-bats for the O’s and Marlins, displaying some promising power potential,” Mountz wrote.
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He did not propose a return package for the Marlins third baseman, who was drafted by the Orioles out of East Carolina as a 2021 second-round pick, after he batted .415 with a 1.143 OPS and 15 home runs in 246 at-bats in his final season of college baseball.
Norby was struck on the helmet by a pitch from San Diego Padres reliever Jason Adam on Wednesday. But surprisingly — perhaps because the pitch was a changeup — Norby remained in the game.
Norby was not only the Orioles’ No. 7 prospect in 2024, when he was positioned as a second-baseman and outfielder, he was rated as a top-100 prospect in 2023 by both Baseball America (No. 93) and Baseball Prospectus (No. 82).
In 2023, Norby put up a promotion-worthy season for the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate, with 21 home runs, a .290 batting average and .842 OPS. But rather than bump him up to the big leagues, the Orioles traded him. They sent Norby, along with another prospect, to the Marlins for lefty pitcher Trevor Rogers.
“The Marlins, who once again sit at the bottom of the NL East, will undoubtedly be sellers at the trade deadline,” Mountz wrote in his trade proposal. “As things stand, Norby would represent a vast improvement over the Yankees’ existing (third base) options.”
So far this season, Norby has played 35 games for Miami with a .744 OPS and .276 vetting average with three round-trippers. In 263 innings at third base, the 24-year-old has committed three errors with a minus-1 defensive runs saved number.
Norby is in his sophomore season on a one-year, $765,000 contract, barely over the MLB minimum. He is not eligible for arbitration until 2028, and remains under team control until 2031.
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