Phillies Rumors: Could Freddy Galvis Be Traded to the Yankees?
By John Town
Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis was listed as a potential option for the Yankees after Didi Gregorious injured his shoulder in the World Baseball Classic.
Much has been written about the brooding logjam in the Phillies middle infield. Current starters Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez could very well be unseated by prospects J.P. Crawford, Scott Kingery, and/or Jesmuel Valentin. This would leave Philadelphia with a surplus of major-league caliber middle infielders and could potentially drive them to trade one of those players.
One potential trade partner could very well be the New York Yankees. Their starting shortstop, Didi Gregroius, left the World Baseball Classic after sustaining a shoulder injury – “a hematoma of the subcapsular” to be very specific – playing for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The injury is expected to keep Gregorious out for the rest of spring training and Opening Day, if not longer. If the injury is severe enough, the Yankees may look externally to bring in a replacement.
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Kevin Kernan of the New York Post said Philly’s own starting shortstop, Galvis, could be an option in a potential trade. Kernan also listed White Sox infielder Carlos Sanchez as another potential option.
“Both fit that bill because their teams have young shortstops on the move,” Kernan wrote. The White Sox have middle infield prospects Yoan Moncada and Amado Nunez while Philadelphia has Crawford, Kingery, and Valentin.
The Yankees also have some talented shortstop prospects of their own in Gleyber Torres and Jorge Mateo, but neither has played above High-A.
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At the major-league level, the Yankees do have some options, but they aren’t particularly attractive. They could insert backup infielder Ronald Torreyes into the starting lineup and/or move Starlin Castro back to shortstop, his natural position.
However, if Gregorious is expected to be out long-term, Galvis’s starting experience and newfound power – he hit 20 home runs in 2016 – could be attractive to New York. Upon Gregorious’s return, Galvis could become the team’s utility man as he is a defensive stud.
The move would also make sense for Philadelphia as it helps clear up the picture in the middle infield. While Crawford isn’t ready to be on the team Opening Day, it would make it much easier for him to slide into the lineup when he is ready to be promoted.
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At this point, it’s hard to say what exactly will play out, but the fact that Galvis is listed as a potential replacement for Gregorious is intriguing. The same scenario could play out during the season if another team’s shortstop gets hurt as they try to make a playoff push.