With all the noise around the New York Yankees chasing big names like Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker, it’s easy to forget there was a moment when it looked like they might even move on from their staple shortstop, Anthony Volpe. That buzz started when the Texas Rangers were rumored of listening to trade offers for Corey Seager. Suddenly, the market was humming with talk that the Yankees could be eyeing Seager as a replacement for a struggling Volpe.

Then… nothing. Total radio silence!

Now, just as Yankees fans started to assume the Seager idea had been quietly shelved, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News stepped in with an update on what’s actually going on with Seager. And if what he’s reporting is true, it only adds another layer of frustration to what’s already shaping up to be a rough Yankees offseason.

“The Red Sox, Braves, and Yankees have all inquired about Seager, but the Rangers haven’t had any substantial/meaningful talks about actually trading him away,” Bleacher Report quoted Evan Grant.

That means that the Rangers may have had primary meetings with the suitors for Seager. However, no concrete action happened afterwards. As per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Texas is in “listening mode” on Seager.

He added, “To be abundantly clear: Texas isn’t looking to shed the remaining $186 million on his contract. The return would need to overwhelm the Rangers.”

Well, the Rangers aren’t looking to dump Corey Seager in some all-cash deal, and they’re not trying to cut payroll either. If they were going to listen to a trade at all, it would have to bring back multiple pieces that fill real holes in their lineup. And it would need to include another true big-ticket name coming back their way.

And even that is quite unlikely now. The Rangers may not be in the mood to trade Seager at all, as their GM Chris Young has flat-out said he’s “not motivated” to move the 2023 World Series MVP. And why not?

Since signing his 10-year, $325 million deal, he’s been a three-time All-Star and finished second to Shohei Ohtani in AL MVP voting during Texas’ championship run. Even in 2025, he put up a strong .271/.373/.487 line with 21 HRs in just 102 games!

As for the Yankees, their reported idea of replacing Anthony Volpe, who, despite leading the league with 19 errors last year, is still their guy for now, has hit a wall. The Yankees don’t have the kind of headline-level star the Rangers would want in return, which makes a Seager-to-New York scenario extremely unlikely.

Hence, as Passan has pointed out, the smarter path for the Yankees might be free agency. There’s a shortstop out there they’ve been linked to for a long time, ever since he first hit the open market. And that option is starting to look far more realistic than a blockbuster trade for Seager.

The Yankees could still replace Volpe through free agency

Well, it’s not just the defense that’s been an issue with Volpe. His bat never really came around in 2025 either. He drove in 72 runs and collected 114 hits, but those numbers came with a rough .212 average and a .663 OPS. That pretty much explains why the Yankees are so eager to have a real alternative lined up behind him.

Which brings up the obvious question: why not Bo Bichette?

So, if the Yankees are willing to spend around $186 million on a shortstop, Bichette is sitting right there. He’s almost four full years younger than Seager, and landing him wouldn’t require gutting their farm system just to make the Rangers interested.

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And let’s not forget the moment that really showed what Bichette is capable of. Remember that three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series?

Plays like that are exactly why Bichette feels like such a natural fit in New York. He’s one of the best pure hitters in the game. And he could be the exact piece the Yankees need to climb back to the top of the AL. After an entire season of offensive frustration in 2025, Bichette looks like the kind of missing link that could finally push the Yankees toward redemption.