Looking Ahead to 2019: Jed Lowrie

I hate to look ahead to the 2019 season with the 2018 season still in full swing, but I can’t help it. I not only want to win this season, but I want to win next season as well, and every season for that matter. With that said I want to take a peek into the 2019 free agency really quick and suggest someone that should be on Brian Cashman’s radar now, so he can go ahead and get to work on it as soon as possible. Cashman loves his veteran players that can provide versatility, see Neil Walker for the 2018 season for a recent example of this, and Jed Lowrie should be a priority for him and the Yankees for the 2019 season in my opinion.

Lowrie has been a huge part of the successful season this year out in Oakland, and the 34-year old looks to be far from done going forward. Lowrie has good speed, he hits well for average, he is never an easy at-bat for the opposing pitcher as he is difficult to strike out, and he may just hit 20 home runs this season playing his home games in the spacious Oakland Coliseum. Imagine what his numbers would look like this season if he were playing 81 games in the Bronx.

Any team could use a super utility player like Lowrie that can conceivably play anywhere, but with the Yankees recent rash of injuries it would be imperative to sign a guy that can fill in all over the place specifically for New York. Utility guys generally come cheap and Lowrie would not hurt the Yankees chances at signing Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Patrick Corbin, or whomever, and would make the team and the bench a whole lot stronger.

Sign Lowrie, then go ahead and get the big fish. Those guys won’t be going anywhere, but I don’t want Lowrie going anywhere next season but the Bronx.