The New York Yankees wasted no time signing another released infielder. The latest invite, Lyle Overbay, was released by the Red Sox on Tuesday to avoid paying a $100,000 retention fee and signed by New York the same day to compete with Juan Rivera for the first base job in Mark Teixeira‘s absence.
For the Yankees, it’s another minor league deal giving a player a legitimate shot at a major league roster.
Teixeira will miss an undisclosed amount of time and center fielder, Curtis Granderson, is expected to miss at least a month, so decisions will have to be made in the next week for the Yankees. Rivera, Brennan Boesch, Melky Mesa, Ronnier Mustelier, Ben Francisco and Overbay will all be competing for three spots.
Thomas Neal, who has had a decent spring and was brought into the fold earlier this winter, would appear to be on the outside looking in. Mesa may make the team because of his defense and speed, which would mean Rivera would be held exclusively in the infield and Boesch and Overbay would likely be cut. Boesch, who has been battling rib injuries, may be a AAA candidate.
Mustelier has had an excellent spring and done a decent job in the infield, meaning Youkilis can shift over to first base (where he may be less injury prone), or Rivera can play first base with Youkilis at third (Mustelier could stick as a backup outfielder with a superior bat to Mesa’s but in the interest of playing time it is unlikely this would happen).
With the Yankees seemingly accepting of paying Rivera the retention fee, it’s likely the right-handed first baseman and outfielder will be one of the final spots. Mustelier, Overbay and Francisco will battle it out for one of the starting infield spots and the fourth outfielder role (unless Rivera is the backup outfielder, Youkilis plays first and Mustelier plays third.)
David Adams was released from the 40 man roster to make room for Wells and a move should be pending to include Overbay in the final week’s spring competition.
