Despite only appearing in 95 games this past season because of time missed due to a right hand fracture, Los Angeles Dodgers free agent Corey Seager is among the more sought-after players on the open market.
Seager and Carlos Correa are considered the headliners of a star-studded group of free-agent shortstops that also includes Trevor Story, Javier Baez and Marcus Semien. In some cases, teams are pursuing multiple players at the position.
Such is believed to be the case for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, among others.
However, despite initial reports the Yankees were pursuing Seager in free agency, they now are believed to be in more of a holding pattern, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
Executives and player representatives who have dealt with the Yankees so far in free agency sense that they are monitoring the elite shortstop group rather than participating in it, waiting to see if a market collapses, in which case they might still swoop in to try to sign one.
New York shifting to a patient approach could impact the likelihood of signing Seager, who recently was said to be looking to have a new contract in place before the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires at 8:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
If the Yankees — or any other club outside of the Dodgers — signs Seager, they will lose a draft pick because he declined the qualifying offer for 2022.
Seager interested in re-signing with Dodgers
After the Dodgers were eliminated from the National League Championship Series, Seager acknowledged he has a desire to remain with the only organization he’s known.
“I grew up here, I’ve spent a lot of time here, I believe in what these guys do, I believe in how we go about it,” Seager said.
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