Hardy no longer a possibility for Yanks

Cross J.J. Hardy off the list of potential replacements for Derek Jeter.

The Orioles shortstop, a free-agent-to-be, agreed Thursday to a three-year, $40 million extension, terms of which were first reported by Fox Sports.

Hardy would have drawn some interest from the Yankees, though how strong a push they would have ultimately made is debatable. The club liked Hardy in the past but there were some red flags with the shortstop, such as his age (32) and a back issue down the stretch that contributed to him hitting .164 with two RBIs in 17 September games.

The Yankees have Brendan Ryan under contract for another year, but it's unlikely they turn the position over to the all-field, no-hit veteran. Stephen Drew, who joined the club at the trade deadline, is another option, though certainly not one that would excite fans.

On the free-agent front, the Yankees could also look at the Nationals' Asdrubal Cabrera, a player they've scouted extensively and whose star has faded somewhat in recent years.

On the trade front, the White Sox's Alexei Ramirez, the Diamondbacks' Didi Gregorius and the Royals' Alcides Escobar could be among the possibilities.