RUMOR: BENINTENDI MIGHT NOT WANT TO RETURN TO THE YANKEES

While the entire baseball world waits to see if Aaron Judge returns to the Yankees or not, I am following another interesting headline. Yes, I'd like Judge to come back.... but I am also hoping for another reunion this winter.

I was a big fan of the Andrew Benintendi pickup at the trade deadline. It sucks he got injured but I think he is the contact hitter that this team needs. He adds something to the lineup that is essential, he is consistent. The numbers prove it, the Yankees know it and thankfully they are rumored to want him back. Sounds like good news to me.

But, maybe the interest isn't mutual? I hope it's just an unfounded rumor but Jon Heyman says an unnamed source questions if Benintendi wants to stay with the Yankees. That's literally all we have. SOMEONE says Benintendi might want to play elsewhere. No other context here. That's why I hate these one blurb stories with no substance to them.

I really hope there isn't any context. Honestly, Benintendi is an asset to this team and would be to any other team and those other teams know it. Winter Meetings will kick off on Sunday, and soon we could see some bigger names sign some deals. Seattle is hoping they might be a team that could snag Benintendi and have already reached out to him, read more HERE.

Some people may not be as anxious to hold on to Benintendi as I am, and I won't try to change anyone's mind. We all know the Yankees can afford Judge and Benintendi so he doesn't have to be a backup option. He adds so much to a lineup, and I hope he will continue to add to ours.

There are so many reasons to bring Benintendi back...and hopefully he wants to come back. Hopefully, Heyman's got this rumor all wrong. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj