The Yankees added another candidate Sunday to fill the voids left by the departures of Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano. Scott Sizemore, who can play third base and second base, has signed a minor-league contract, an industry source confirmed.
It’s likely, as Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal first reported, that the Yankees won’t sign any other free-agent infielders to major-league contracts. Stephen Drew, the best remaining free agent infielder, is not on their radar, and Mark Reynolds and Michael Young would interest them only on minor-league deals.
This winter, the Yankees have signed Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts to major-league deals _ they haven’t announced Roberts’ signing yet _ and they’ve also brought aboard Dean Anna (trade with San Diego) and Yangervis Solarte (minor-league contract) in addition to Sizemore. Roberts is exclusively a second baseman, while the others all can play both second and third, giving the Yankees options as they try to replace A-Rod, who has been suspended for the entire 2014 season, and Cano, who left for the Mariners.
Sizemore, 29, has missed nearly all of the last two seasons with Oakland due to left knee injuries, as he tore the ACL in his left knee in February 2012, shelving him for the year, and then again in April 2013 in just his second game of the campaign. In 160 major-league games with Detroit and the A’s, Sizemore has a slash line of .238/.328/.381. He has played 97 games at third base (92 starts) and 60 at second base (55 starts).