Trevor Story Might Be The Yankees' Real Trade Target

After losing in the American League division series to the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees are looking to get better. Back-to-back MVP finalist DJ LeMahieu is considered to be their top target, but re-signing LeMahieu still doesn't solve their biggest issue. They are absolutely putrid at shortstop. If the Yankees want to win a World Series, they need to find the shortstop of the future.

I've mentioned in the past that the Yankees could deal for Indians star shortstop Francisco Lindor, but what about Trevor Story? He makes perfect sense and it doesn't hurt that he idolized Derek Jeter, either.

While Lindor being 27-years-old is ideal for the Yankees, Story is just 28. Both players, barring agreements on extensions, would be Yankees for the next decade. As this article from Pinstripe Alley brought up, the Bombers have been atrocious defensively at shortstop. If they want to win a World Series, you can't have a shortstop making nine errors in just 40 games. That's how bad Gleyber Torres was for the Yankees at shortstop.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman claims the Yanks don't have to make a move if Torres improves.

"We feel comfortable going into 2020 and beyond with Gleyber Torres as our shortstop," Cashman said.

This is a nonsensical statement and considering Cashman hasn't brought a championship to New York since 2009, he can't afford to be this patient. Whoever the Yankees decide to pencil in at shortstop in 2021 needs to be better than what the Yanks threw out there last season or they'll lose. Failing to remedy this glaring need is the fast track to another disappointing finish for the league's most popular franchise.

Why a Trevor Story deal can happen

Story is a Derek Jeter guy. He's been on camera quite a bit discussing how much Jeter molded who he's tried to be in the big-leagues. Professional, fun, and dominant on both sides of the ball. Analytics nerds have argued that Jeter was never great defensively, but that's not for a lack of trying. This commitment to being a dominant defensive shortstop is exactly what the Yankees need.

Trevor Story isn't just "bought-in" to being great at what the Yankees need -- he's putting up stellar defensive numbers too. In three of his last four seasons playing in Colorado, Story has been great at shortstop. Check this out.

According to Baseball Reference, Story recorded more errors than Gleyber Torres, but there's an important catch. He played 57 games. And playing majority of the season is another trait that Story has going for him that the Yankees need. The Yankees roster is loaded with players that have had a tough time staying on the field. While they were struggling to stay out the trainer's room, Story was averaging over 145 games a season.

Amazing that a player can be such a great fit in pinstripes because of his defense and durability, but it doesn't stop there. The two-time National League All-Star is a middle of the order bat that would fit like a glove in New York's three-hole.

During his back-to-back All-Star seasons in '18 and '19, Story proved himself one of the game's best offensive players. Yes, hitting for power is fun, but there's a reason high batting average, and contact hitters in general, have success in the postseason. I've stated in prior articles how a deal for Lindor or Story would not only help this team defensively, but their ability to hit for contact is a game changer when the games start to matter. Either way, the Yankees can't go wrong dealing for Lindor or Story.

Get the popcorn ready

The reason Yankees fans should be excited about this rumor is that the Rockies and Yankees love to tango on the trade market. They've shown no hesitation dealing players to one another as the teams are in different leagues.

As much as sports fans like to ignore this fact, teams have to be willing to talk. No team is more willing to discuss a major trade with the Yankees than the Colorado Rockies. If history repeats itself, the Yankees might possibly make a game-changing splash this winter.