The Yankees don’t just have competition for Aaron Judge in terms of their outfield for next season.
Andrew Benintendi is one other highly sought-after free agent whose market is developing, with loads of suitors expected.
One might be the Astros, who made a big move on Monday, after they agreed to a three-year cope with first baseman Jose Abreu that’s price around $60 million, in keeping with The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Benintendi is seen by some as one other good fit for Houston, which swept the Yankees out of the postseason.
The 28-year-old Benintendi played well after coming to The Bronx from Kansas City in a July trade and the Yankees remain convinced that they might have at the least put up a fight against Houston within the ALCS if Benintendi and DJ LeMahieu had been healthy.
But Benintendi was lost for the season with a fractured hamate bone — an injury that flummoxed the Yankees, since he’d had the injury previously and it’s typically fixed by removing the bone — making it nearly unimaginable to return.
Benintendi, though, went down after a swing on Sept. 2 and wasn’t capable of return, although he indicated he might need been capable of play if the Yankees had advanced to the World Series.
The Yankees are interested by a reunion, since they face the identical issues they did on the trade deadline that convinced them to usher in Benintendi in exchange for 3 minor league pitchers in the primary place.
They continue to be too right-handed and the lefty-swinging Benintendi could be one other contact hitter in a lineup that strikes out an excessive amount of.
And so they haven’t any internal candidates to take over in left field, with Aaron Hicks benched when Harrison Bader got healthy and Oswaldo Cabrera not a real outfielder.
As with much of their offseason, the Yankees would love to know the way much Judge will cost — if he returns — before making too many more costly moves, like they did with resigning Anthony Rizzo to play first base.
The Astros were also interested by Rizzo before he agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal after which brought in considered one of the highest remaining free agents in Abreu, who turns 36 next month.
Michael Brantley was Houston’s left fielder last yr before a right shoulder injury that resulted in surgery ended his season.
Brantley, one other left-handed bat, is 35 and in addition a free agent. He’d also cost significantly lower than Benintendi, who is predicted to see a multiyear deal.
Before the injury, Brantley was having a typically strong season and is someone the Yankees could also look to if Benintendi lands elsewhere. He’s coming off a two-year, $32 million deal.
As The Post’s Joel Sherman reported last week, there is no such thing as a shortage of left-handed outfield bats on the open market.
Along with Benintendi and Brantley, Cody Bellinger and ex-Yankee Joey Gallo can be found and on the lookout for bounce-back seasons.
And Brandon Nimmo is in line to fetch the most important contract of any of them.
The Yankees don’t just have competition for Aaron Judge in terms of their outfield for next season.
Andrew Benintendi is one other highly sought-after free agent whose market is developing, with loads of suitors expected.
One might be the Astros, who made a big move on Monday, after they agreed to a three-year cope with first baseman Jose Abreu that’s price around $60 million, in keeping with The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Benintendi is seen by some as one other good fit for Houston, which swept the Yankees out of the postseason.
The 28-year-old Benintendi played well after coming to The Bronx from Kansas City in a July trade and the Yankees remain convinced that they might have at the least put up a fight against Houston within the ALCS if Benintendi and DJ LeMahieu had been healthy.
But Benintendi was lost for the season with a fractured hamate bone — an injury that flummoxed the Yankees, since he’d had the injury previously and it’s typically fixed by removing the bone — making it nearly unimaginable to return.
Benintendi, though, went down after a swing on Sept. 2 and wasn’t capable of return, although he indicated he might need been capable of play if the Yankees had advanced to the World Series.
The Yankees are interested by a reunion, since they face the identical issues they did on the trade deadline that convinced them to usher in Benintendi in exchange for 3 minor league pitchers in the primary place.
They continue to be too right-handed and the lefty-swinging Benintendi could be one other contact hitter in a lineup that strikes out an excessive amount of.
And so they haven’t any internal candidates to take over in left field, with Aaron Hicks benched when Harrison Bader got healthy and Oswaldo Cabrera not a real outfielder.
As with much of their offseason, the Yankees would love to know the way much Judge will cost — if he returns — before making too many more costly moves, like they did with resigning Anthony Rizzo to play first base.
The Astros were also interested by Rizzo before he agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal after which brought in considered one of the highest remaining free agents in Abreu, who turns 36 next month.
Michael Brantley was Houston’s left fielder last yr before a right shoulder injury that resulted in surgery ended his season.
Brantley, one other left-handed bat, is 35 and in addition a free agent. He’d also cost significantly lower than Benintendi, who is predicted to see a multiyear deal.
Before the injury, Brantley was having a typically strong season and is someone the Yankees could also look to if Benintendi lands elsewhere. He’s coming off a two-year, $32 million deal.
As The Post’s Joel Sherman reported last week, there is no such thing as a shortage of left-handed outfield bats on the open market.
Along with Benintendi and Brantley, Cody Bellinger and ex-Yankee Joey Gallo can be found and on the lookout for bounce-back seasons.
And Brandon Nimmo is in line to fetch the most important contract of any of them.
