The jokes are writing themselves for the New York Yankees.
The Yankees made a notable move Tuesday, claiming former top prospect Jeter Downs off waivers. The 25-year-old shortstop Downs got designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals earlier this month.
Earlier today, the Yankees claimed INF Jeter Downs off waivers from the Washington Nationals.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) December 19, 2023
The move by the Yankees led to everybody on social media making the same joke — that the Yankees had added Jeter.
Yankees add Jeter. https://t.co/0s071XFrHH
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2023
Jeter 🤝 Yankees pic.twitter.com/AGRIKS8hfi
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 19, 2023
MLB teams when they see another Jeter on the Yankees pic.twitter.com/isAFDrOYRc
— Mordy 🇮🇱 (@MordyMilgraum) December 19, 2023
Ok hear us out on this one, it's original.
Jeter to the Yankees. https://t.co/xFMyxYzwdH
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 19, 2023
Downs plays the same position as Derek Jeter and was actually named by his parents after the retired Yankees legend as well (Downs was born in 1998). On top of that, Jeter himself even sent a notable message to Downs upon Downs’ MLB debut.
The righty batter Downs was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 2017 and later found himself as part of two prominent trades — going from Cincinnati to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Yasiel Puig trade and then going from the Dodgers to the Boston Red Sox via the Mookie Betts trade. The Nationals claimed Downs after he was DFA’d by Boston following the 2022 season, and now Downs has found his way into the Yankees organization.
Expectations are not too high any more for Downs, a career .238 hitter over six minor-league seasons and a .182 hitter over 50 total plate appearances in the bigs. But perhaps it was fate that Downs would end up on the Yankees.
