Should the Yankees Take a Waiver on Desmond Jennings?

I know, I know but hear me out. The Yankees are absolutely stacked at the outfield position right now but talent is talent. Should the Yankees take a waiver on the soon-to-be free agent Desmond Jennings?

Jennings was once thought to be one of the future stars of the league for the Rays but now the 29-year old has succumbed to multiple leg injuries that have seemingly slowed down his development. Jennings has already fought a hamstring injury this season and is set to come off the disabled list with a knee injury when the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to release him.

Jennings was solid from 2011 - 2014 for Tampa Bay hitting .249/.327/.405 with 47 home runs and 86 stolen bases but since then the former Rays center fielder has slumped and slowed considerably. Jennings stopped hitting, stopped hitting for power and stopped stealing bases due to his injuries which caused Tampa to bench him.

So why would the Yankees want him? They have a plethora of outfield options heading into next season and many of them are younger, project higher and are flat out better on paper. In a word, they wouldn't. It depends on the deal though. Would Jennings be willing to sign a minor league deal while still on the Rays dime for the remainder of this season? Maybe. If so, sign him up. Rosters expand next week and he has talent that you don't tend to find on the free agent market these days. Especially on a minor league deal. If not, then you pass.

Jennings will sign with someone. He's still a quality defender in the outfield according to multiple defensive metrics, although not UZR 150, he's still young and he would make a great bounce back or fourth outfielder option for most teams. Unfortunately just not for this team. I have to pass unless it's on a minor league deal.

Nuno, Leroux beat up in 14-inning loss to Rays

Vidal Nuno surrendered 4 earned runs in 4.2 innings and youngster Chris Leroux gave up another 5 in the top of the 14th tonight as the Yankees depressingly lost this series' opener to the Rays, 10-5. In those 4.2 frames, Nuno was overall solid, inducing two 1-2-3 innings in the first and third, but in the end a couple of walks, an unfair lost-in-the-sky triple from Evan Longoria, and a solo home run from Desmond Jennings caused the team to lose. 

Anyway, the Bombers offense, judging by their 14 hits, was okay in this loss, collecting three home runs from Brian McCann (2-run), Mark Teixeira, and Alfonso Soriano before scoring for the final time in the bottom of the ninth when Jacoby Ellsbury singled home the tying run. Those two shots from Teixeira and Soriano, interestingly, came back-to-back in the eighth off TB's Joel Peralta, tying the game at 4.

Unfortunately, the good for the Pinstripes stopped there, as their offense stranded a combined 7 runners in the 11th, 12th, and 13th innings. In that last frame, the Yanks actually had the bases loaded with two outs, before Derek Jeter grounded out as part of his tough-to-watch, 0-for-7 performance.