Report: Yankees have checked in on Fowler, Napoli
Even though the New York Yankees appeared to be moving in the direction of using a younger lineup built around the likes of Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, and Aaron Judge, they're still checking in on a number of free agents during the offseason, including some of the biggest names available on the list.
While the Yankees have reportedly been interested in reuniting with closer Aroldis Chapman and outfielder Carlos Beltran, they've also checked in on Dexter Fowler, Mike Napoli, Matt Holliday, and Brandon Moss, reports Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball.
Of the crop of hitters Heyman mentions, Fowler and Napoli could be the biggest additions to the Yankees lineup after the pair both posted impressive seasons last year.
| PLAYER | PA | HR | RBI | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dexter Fowler | 551 | 13 | 48 | .840 | 4.7 |
| Mike Napoli | 645 | 34 | 101 | .800 | 1.0 |
Fowler would be an upgrade out of the lead-off position for the Yankees, who received a .714 OPS from the spot mostly occupied by Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner.
During his nine seasons in the bigs, Fowler is a career .268 hitter with 78 home runs, 72 triples, and 127 stolen bases, but is a below-average outfielder with a minus-64 in defensive runs saved.
The addition of the 35-year-old Napoli would certainly up the team's power and run production with the veteran owning a .965 career OPS at new Yankee Stadium, including nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 156 plate appearances. The Yankees finished 13th and 12th in the AL respectively in the two categories last season.
Napoli re-established his value last season with the AL-champion Cleveland Indians, posting career bests in home runs, RBIs, hits, and runs scored.