On Wednesday, the Chicago Cubs shockingly gave up their No. 29 prospect to bring back veteran utility infielder, Nicky Lopez. Lost in the transaction is Gage Workman, who caught fire during spring training hitting an astonishing .364 with four home runs.
After making his MLB debut this season, Workman’s performance has been less than thrilling, going 3-of-14 with a double. Obviously, this is just a sample size. Giving up a promising top 30 prospect with years of control to bring back a journeyman infielder that hit .241 last season with only seven career home runs might not have been a brilliant choice. With Kyle Tucker in the fold for one guaranteed year, though, the Cubs are aiming to win now.
Last season, Workman slashed .280/.366/.476/.842 with 18 homers and 30 steals through 483 at-bats in Double-A. Nonetheless, his defense appears to be his strongest skillset even if he’s an above average hitter. His scouting report gives him props as one of the best defenders in the minors. Since the Cubs have seemingly cut him loose without giving him a chance, another team might prove to be very wise in giving him a shot.
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Cubs DFA’d 3B Gage Workman might be a perfect fit for the Yankees
As things stand in the Bronx, the New York Yankees currently have three options at third base: Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas. Cabrera is the primary third baseman hitting .264 with one home run. Peraza, who is slumping through his final chance with the team, is hitting .217 average with one home run and appears to be on the verge of being DFA’d.
Vivas, on the other hand, has been tearing through Triple-A, hitting .342 with two home runs. He was promoted to the Majors on Monday in place of Trent Grisham who is on the paternity list. Unfortunately, manager Aaron Boone has kept him on the bench rather than giving him a much-deserved shot.
One last option is DJ LeMahieu, who is working his way back from injury and isn’t yet ready to compete for third base.
Of these four, Vivas appears to have the most offensive upside, but his glove and arm strength have been questionable at the hot corner. Adding Workman, whose left-handed bat might work wonders at Yankee Stadium, would not only offer another upside bat, but a potentially elite glove. That would be a much-welcomed sight after the Yankees’ inning of calamity in the deciding game of the 2024 World Series among other fielding blunders. Given their lack of quality infield depth, asking about Workman seems to an easy way out of a tough predicament.
Workman was largely seen as a defense-first infielder splitting time between shortstop and third base. Since abandoning his status as a switch-hitter, he has seen much more success from the left side of the plate. And though he has problems facing southpaws, his combination of power and speed makes him rather enticing.
