Looking to bolster their offense and address defensive questions at third base, the New York Yankees have re-signed third baseman Chase Headley to a four year, $52 million deal. Sweeney Murti of WFAN first reported that a deal between the two sides could happen today, with Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reporting the contract’s value.
Headley, 30, joined the Yankees this past season in a trade that sent Yangervis Solarte and Rafael De Paula to the San Diego Padres. He’d hit just .229/.296/.355 with San Diego, but quickly turned things around following the deal and batted .262/.371/.398 with six home runs and 17 RBI through 58 games. Overall on the year he hit .243/.328/.372 with 13 HR and 49 RBI.
Ever since he posted MVP-caliber numbers during the 2012 season, Headley’s had a tough time matching that type of offensive production. He hit .286/.376/.498 that year with a career-high 31 HR and 115 RBI. In the two seasons since, he’s failed to eclipse the 13 home run mark or post more than 50 RBI – all while battling several injuries including a fractured thumb, calf strain, and a herniated disk in his back.
Despite the drop in production, Headley still provides above average offense at the hot corner. His 119 OPS+ in his short stint with the Yankees was 19% better than the league average. Headley’s biggest strength is his defensive ability, regarded by many as being elite. In 2014 he posted a +28 UZR/150 while saving +13 runs with his glove. It would be unfair to expect him to repeat those numbers, but for his career he boasts a +10.8 UZR/150 with almost 30 runs saved.
Bringing Headley back is key to New York’s offseason and the contract should ultimately provide both the player and the team value.