The Yankees don’t just have competition for Aaron Judge when it comes to their outfield for next season.
Andrew Benintendi is another highly sought-after free agent whose market is developing, with plenty of suitors expected.
One could be the Astros, who made a significant move on Monday, when they agreed to a three-year deal with first baseman Jose Abreu that’s worth around $60 million, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman.
Benintendi is seen by some as another good fit for Houston, which swept the Yankees out of the postseason.
The 28-year-old Benintendi played well after coming to The Bronx from Kansas City in a July trade and the Yankees remain convinced that they would have at least put up a fight against Houston in the ALCS if Benintendi and DJ LeMahieu had been healthy.
But Benintendi was lost for the season with a fractured hamate bone — an injury that flummoxed the Yankees, since he’d had the injury previously and it’s typically fixed by removing the bone — making it nearly impossible to return.
Benintendi, though, went down after a swing on Sept. 2 and wasn’t able to return, although he indicated he might have been able to play if the Yankees had advanced to the World Series.
The Yankees are interested in a reunion, since they face the same issues they did at the trade deadline that convinced them to bring in Benintendi in exchange for three minor league pitchers in the first place.
They remain too right-handed and the lefty-swinging Benintendi would be another contact hitter in a lineup that strikes out too much.
And they have no internal candidates to take over in left field, with Aaron Hicks benched when Harrison Bader got healthy and Oswaldo Cabrera not a true outfielder.
As with much of their offseason, the Yankees would like to know how much Judge will cost — if he returns — before making too many more costly moves, like they did with resigning Anthony Rizzo to play first base.
The Astros were also interested in Rizzo before he agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal and then brought in one of the top remaining free agents in Abreu, who turns 36 next month.
Michael Brantley was Houston’s left fielder last year before a right shoulder injury that resulted in surgery ended his season.
Brantley, another left-handed bat, is 35 and also a free agent. He’d also cost significantly less than Benintendi, who is expected to see a multiyear deal.
Before the injury, Brantley was having a typically strong season and is someone the Yankees could also look to if Benintendi lands elsewhere. He is coming off a two-year, $32 million deal.
As The Post’s Joel Sherman reported last week, there is no shortage of left-handed outfield bats on the open market.
In addition to Benintendi and Brantley, Cody Bellinger and ex-Yankee Joey Gallo are available and looking for bounce-back seasons.
And Brandon Nimmo is in line to fetch the biggest contract of any of them.
