NYP: Yankees have interest in bringing back Raul Ibanez

Via George King & Ken Davidoff: The Yankees have some interest in a reunion with Raul Ibanez. I assume he would come back in the same role he held last summer, meaning part-time DH and part-time outfielder. At least that was the plan before Brett Gardner’s injury forced into into the field on a nearly everyday basis. Obviously the Yankees know him well and are comfortable with what he brings to the table.

Ibanez, 41, hit .242/.307/.487 (117 wRC+) with 29 homers in 496 plate appearances for the Mariners this past season, though he was awesome in the first half (24 HR and 143 wRC+) and a disaster in the second half (5 HR and 79 wRC+). Raul whacked 19 homers with a 102 wRC+ for New York in 2012, but remember, he was pretty terrible before he started hitting all those insanely clutch homers in late-September and October. Despite his awful defense and complete inability to hit lefties, I do think Ibanez makes some sense for the current Yankees roster in a limited role. The question is whether he wants to stay close to his Seattle home.