Johnny Damon was hard enough to imagine in pinstripes. Dirt dog Kevin Youkilis? That’s even tougher.
But it could be happening, as the Yankees are looking for someone to take care of third base while Alex Rodriguez gets hip surgery for the second time in four years.
The Yankees announced Monday that Rodriguez will have surgery on his left hip in the coming weeks, with rehab time expected to leave him out of baseball for four to six months.
Enter Youkilis.
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Youkilis was traded to the White Sox last year as his production declined and he butted heads with Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine. While Youkilis helped Chicago nearly take the American League Central, his production has been down in recent years, and he finished last season batting just .235. The White Sox chose not to pick up his option for 2013.
The Yankees need a lot of help in the infield heading into next season. Derek Jeter is out for some time after breaking his foot in the American League Championship Series, and New York does not have key third base backup Eric Chavez under contract for another year. The Yankees are reportedly not thrilled enough with the play of Eduardo Nunez or Ramiro Pena to give them more than spot duty in the infield.
