The NY Yankees and Ichiro Suzuki have been mentioned in trade rumors all offseason and as the season gets closer to starting, the Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers or San Francisco Giants could be potential landing spots for the star outfielder, as Jon Heyman at CBS Sports is reporting that New York would be willing to pay part of the contract to get a deal done by Opening Day.
The Yankees are not close to a deal for Ichiro right now, but as the week goes by toward Opening Day they could get more motivated to make a move, as Suzuki right now is on the bench for a crowded outfield that includes Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner, while Alfonso Soriano likely will be the primary DH. According to CBS Sports, the Phillies remain an option for Suzuki as they need outfield help, while the Tigers are a potential fit since they just lost Andy Dirks and he could be out for a few months after back surgery.
The Yankees traded for Ichiro a couple years ago and then signed him to a two years deal before last season and while they didn't expect to sign so many players as free agents, that is what has gone down and now he is a fourth or fifth outfielder with the team. Last season Ichiro hit a career low .262 with seven home runs and a .639 OPS and while the Yankees are looking to trade him, Brian Cashman said that he is still a valuable part of the club and they will not just do a deal to do a deal. According to CBS, Cashman cites Ichiro's outstanding defense and speed on the bases as the value he brings to the club and right now the report says no deal is imminent.
The Yankees could potentially have some injuries heading into the season and that makes Ichiro a solid option off the bench and one thing is clear, the future Hall of Famer will keep himself in tip top shape no matter what happens. The Phillies were considered a potential option earlier in the offseason because they needed some outfield help, but as the season gets closer a deal is less likely. The Tigers could fit since Dirks was injured, but the CBS report says that the Yankees want a "good prospect" in a deal and that is where the split could be if they try to make a move.
Ichiro said earlier in spring training that he has no plans to retire and he hopes to play multiple years after this one and while the Yankees are looking to trade him, they also could keep him on the roster and wait to make a deal during the season. Ichiro played in 150 games last season and with 2,742 career hits he clearly still can play, but his skills have diminished from when he was a perennial All-Star years ago. The Giants were a team that was mentioned last year and that could come up again and while the Yankees have a glut of outfielders, they may just sit tight if the right deal for the former Mariners star doesn't come.
