Yankees rumors: Jhonny Peralta drawing interest from New York

The Yankees have already signed Derek Jeter and agreed to terms with Brendan Ryan in deals for 2014, but that hasn't stopped them from pursuing one of the top free agent shortstops in Jhonny Peralta. According to Jon Morosi and Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees join the Mets in pursuit of Peralta's services.

Peralta likely appeals to the Yankees because he could fill in for Alex Rodriguez while suspended at third base and also taking over for Jeter at shortstop, which is his normal position. He may be seeking a deal with a team where he can play shortstop full-time, which isn't the Yankees, but if he is willing to put in some time at the hot corner the Yankees could solve a lot of problems by bringing him in.

Aside from a miserable 2012 campaign with the Tigers, Peralta has been above average with the bat since moving to Detroit. He posted a .299/.345/.478 batting line in 2011 and a .303/.358/.457 line in 107 games last season. Unfortunately, he was also suspended for his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic and missed 50 games. Who knows what kind of effect any of his dealings with Anthony Bosch and company may have had on his statistics, but if he has put that all behind him, he could be a valuable asset in the Bronx as an insurance policy for one or both of Rodriguez and Jeter.

What kind of deal do you think Peralta is likely to receive this offseason? Do you think it's worth it for the Yankees to pursue his services with Jeter and Ryan already in the fold?

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