Entering spring training, the New York Yankees looked to have one of the best rosters in baseball.
With only a few weeks until Opening Day, that may no longer be the case as their depth is going to be tested early on.
Spring training has not been kind to the team on the injury front as several key players are going to be sidelined to start the season.
Starting pitcher Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole are dealing with a strained lat and elbow issues, respectively. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton also has elbow woes that could be sideline him for the entire campaign if he undergoes surgery.
Also on the pitching staff, JT Brubaker, Scott Effross and Jake Cousins all suffered injuries this spring. Jonathan Loaisiga is not going to be ready for Opening Day, either.
Projected starting third baseman DJ LeMahieu is dealing with a calf issue that will have him on the injured list at the onset of the season.
That is a lot of needs to address before even getting to other spots on the roster that needed attention entering camp.
One of the positions that the team was having competition at in camp was catcher.
Austin Wells is locked in as the starter, but there is no clear-cut answer as to who will be his backup currently after Jose Trevino was traded to the Cincinnati Reds over the winter.
Non-roster invitee Alex Jackson, who was acquired as part of the trade with the Reds, is currently projected to be the backup. J.C. Escarra and Rafael Flores, who are both competing for the job, are projected to be atop the Triple-A depth chart.
If none of them emerge as reliable options behind Wells, the Yankees could look to the trade market for a viable backup.
One player to keep an eye on, in the opinion of Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, is Christian Vazquez of the Minnesota Twins.
The MLB writer suggested New York as a team that could give him a look as the Twins haven't hidden the fact that they made him available over the winter in trade talks.
2022 with the Boston Red Sox was the last time that Vazquez provided positive value as a hitter according to Baseball-Reference's oWAR. But what he lacks at the plate he makes up for with defensive acumen.
He has had a positive dWAR in every year of his Major League career, reaching at least 0.4 in four consecutive campaigns.
Vazquez would offer some unique versatility for manager Aaron Boone as well.
He has experience playing first base, second base and third base at the Major League level, providing a nice chess piece off the bench.
The chance to kill multiple birds with one stone could certainly be appealing to a Yankees squad that needs help at several spots in their lineup with the injuries they are battling.