The New York Yankees are in a serious slump.
They’re teetering on the edge of a sweep at the hands of their crosstown rivals, the Mets, while riding a six-game losing streak. They’ve dropped seven of their last nine contests, including a late-June series loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
At 48–41, the Yankees have now relinquished control of the AL East to the surging Toronto Blue Jays, who stand at 51–38.
In addition to their overall struggles, the Yankees are also dealing with a glaring issue in their infield. With DJ LeMahieu showing significant signs of decline and battling injuries, and Jazz Chisholm limited to covering only one of second or third base at a time, the team is left exposed at the other infield spot.
As the trade deadline approaches, it’s highly likely the Yankees will pursue a more substantial upgrade—they are the Yankees, after all. But in the short term, they’ve taken a low-risk chance on Jeimer Candelario, who just cleared waivers after a disappointing run with the Reds.
As reported by Conor Foley of YES, Candelario has signed a minor league deal with New York over the holiday weekend.
Candelario had inked a 3-year, $45 million deal with Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season, but his tenure there was a disaster. He struggled mightily with injuries and poor defense, accumulating -1.6 bWAR over 554 plate appearances across 2024–2025.
His offensive numbers were underwhelming, managing only a .660 OPS in the majors and a .732 OPS in 17 rehab games at Triple-A Louisville.
Now 31, Candelario is only two seasons removed from posting a 121 OPS+ in a productive 2023 with the Nationals and Cubs. The Yankees are banking on the slim hope that he can rediscover that form, while acknowledging the steep Statcast decline that suggests his best days may be behind him. Still, with minimal risk involved, it’s a flyer they’re willing to take.
