Bringing back Headley could spell the end of Alex Rodriguez's run as the Yankees' third baseman.
The Yankees' infield has been mired in uncertainty over the past couple years, so it makes sense that the club is considering re-signing third baseman Chase Headley (per CBS Sports' Jon Heyman), who was quite good for New York after coming over in a mid-season trade with the San Diego Padres. The 30-year-old Headley is currently scheduled to reach the open market at the end of the month.
Headley hit just .243/.328/.372 with 13 home runs this season, though those numbers are slightly suppressed by him playing a large number of games at the pitcher-friendly Petco Park. Adjusted for ballpark, Headley hit for a more notable 102 OPS+ and 103 wRC+, and combined with some solid defense, he wound up posting a 4.4 fWAR season, the second highest tally of his career.
Headley was among the brightest players in baseball after a monstrous 7.2-WAR 2012 season that saw him finish fifth in NL MVP voting, but he fell off in 2013, as his OPS+ dropped from 145 to 116 and his WAR fell to 3.6. Headley's decline appeared to be continuing this season, as he posted just a .646 OPS in the first half. However, he turned things around after joining the Yankees, as he had a .768 OPS and 119 OPS+ in pinstripes.
It's unknown exactly how large the market will be for Headley's services this offseason, though his second-half turnaround makes him a likely candidate to receive multiple years. Due to the trade, he is not eligible to receive a qualifying offer, which should bode well for his free agent stock.
Of course, bringing Headley back would likely put Alex Rodriguez, who will be returning from suspension next season, out of a job. Just last week, Yankees' manager Joe Girardi said that he expected Rodriguez to be his starting third baseman next season, so there is reason to be skeptical of just how far the Yankees would be willing to go to retain Headley. If New York does add a third baseman this offseason, it is likely that Rodriguez would become a full-time DH.