Yankees Offseason Preview

As the offseason starts in just over 2 weeks, its time to do a offseason preview.

What players are leaving? Which ones are staing? Who will the Yankees target? LETS DISCUSS through this Yankees Offseason Preview!

PLAYERS STAYING:

RHP David Bednar:

He’s not going anywhere. The Yankees have no closer at all with him hitting Free Agency and as it’s not believed Mason Miller will be available either, and although it will be expensive, expect a deal in the 5 years $50 Million – $75 Million range.

RHP Paul Blackburn:

Another one the Yankees are expected to keep around! No reason not too after his steller 2026 campaign. Expect a deal in the 5 year $40 Million range.

OTHERS:

Not any of the other players becoming FA’s are expected to stay outside MAYBE Ryan Yahbrough. That said ONLY LHP Ryan Yarbrough, and 1B Paul Goldschmidt have that chance although chances are extremely slim!

PLAYERS LEAVING:

All other FA’s including Jazz Chisolm are gone per reports.

Another surprise one who may be leaving? RYAN MCMAHON.

Just the brutal truth for McMahon! Yes the Yankees are going to have trade talks around 3B Ryan McMahon after his VERY SUBPAR 2026 campaign.

There is interest from several teams but… It remains to be seen what exactly will come from these talks, or if they can actually trade him!

Another is DH Giancarlo Stanton. His returning with the Yankees for 2027 is ANYTHING BUT SET IN STONE! The issue is, he’s only gone if traded. Only owed by the Yankees, $15 Million MAX is 2027 and maybe as low as $11 Million and that’s if he stays.

The other issue on Stanton for the Yankees, he has BIRD RIGHTS and thus a full no trade clause protection. He will only wave bis no trade clause to return home to the LA area. The Dodgers want no part of him leaving only the Angels who appear to have no interest at all.

AS YOU CAN SEE THE 2027 YANKEES WILL BE FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE 2026 YANKEES.

Also bear in mind Hal Stienbrenner just sold 20% of the Yankees thus making the momey to end the Yankee Stadium debt, and other Yankees debt freeing up money to put into the roster.

What’s the Yankees payroll right now? THIS:

Notice DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks contarcts are history! GONE!

The Yankees if they can trade McMahon, and maybe Stanton, will lower it even further. They have room to manuver.

Keep this in mind as well:

A BUTLOAD OF MONEY is coming off the books the next few years.

SO WHAT PLAYERS WILL THE YANKEES BE GOING AFTER ALL THINGS CONSIDERED?

C Ryan Jeffers, C Tyler Stephenson, or C Jonah Hiem:

The Yankees will be booting out Ali Sanchez and adding one of these 3 to for a righty hitting catcher to balance out Lefty bopping Gold Glove FINALIST C Austin Wells who will be staying. That said, it remains unknown which one it will be.

MAYBE C Hunter Goodman:

The Yankees did try for him at the deadline and thus you know they will try for him again BUT… It still remains very unlikely although, no the Yankees did not offer George Lombard JR for him no matter what fake reports say.

LHP Tarik Skubal:

HE HAS NO QO ATTACHED BY RULE! This is huge for the Yankees. They tried for him at the deadline and will try for him in FA and are a favorite with the Tigers, Phillies, and Cubs. He is a BORAS CLIENT though…

The Dodgers will not pursue him in FA! There’s no chance he wants any part of the Mets! Yes I know about the Mets bieng said to be willing to match any FA offer he gets but he won’t want any part of going there.

A THIRD BASEMAN:

With Ryan McMahon available in trade, and no in house option readily available, it’s clear as day they will add a 3B. Who will it be though?

One major option is Japanese STAR 3B Teruaki Sato the Japanese star 3B coming over this offseason.

The 6’2″ Lefty Bopping Sato bats .273 for his career in Japan and is coming off a 39 HR season in which he batted .306.

A great option offenseively BUT…

Is not that good defensively ALTHOUGH he would actually be better defensively then Ryan McMahon was and with AT LEAST 5 times the bat.

The Yankees will be in on him but will his defensive issues stymie their attempts and push them away from him?

The 3B market league wide is weak and their other Korean 3B Seong Chul Cho they signed is a year or 2 away still.

Marci Luciano? A good chacne. He’s been raking at AAA already and is under Yankees control long term ALREADY.

Here’s the FA 3B for this offseason and its not good:

Unless they want Brandon Lowe its pretty barron. Alec Bohm is a flop of a Phillies prospect, Eugenio Suarez is way to old at 37 and likely stays with the Reds to DH or retires, Yoan Moncada is still young and a MAYBE, None else worth even considering.

Katel Marte:

There’s a CHANCE here. He has worn out his welcome with the DBacks. The Yankees and DBacks historically do trade’s as well. There’s a chance here.

That said there’s a major hold up. HE HAS BIRD RIGHTS thus fuill no trade protection and is going into his age 34 season with 4 years left on his massive contract thus YANKEES will most likely back away:

As such do the Yankees even try it? If the Debacks take on McMahon’s whole contract then MAYBE… This one remains unlikely.

MULTIPE OTHER RELIEVERS:

Yes the Yankees will focus on the BULLPEN. They want 2-3 Relievers after retaining Bednar and Blackburn.

So which ones?

WELL…

LHP Adrain Morejan

Yes he is a FA and just 27 and more then capible of closing. Will demand a good sized contract but Yankees will be all over him.

Will he get a QO attached? MAYBE… Reliever’s extremely rarely get these. He is represented by MVP Sports Group and NOT Boras which the Yankees love.

Yankees are a BIG TIME FAV HERE!

RHP Mason Miller?

NO CHANCE! Padres will nto be trading him though groundwork was done at the deadline. No need to dream here Yankees fans.

Looking at the rest of the MLB FA Relievers:

Pete Fairbanks is a very good option but he wants to stay in FLORIDA.

Alvarado is good but a known, PROVEN steroid user so no way!

Estevaz will not be a FA, Royals 100% exersizing that option to keep their ALL STAR closer.

Will RHP Ryan Helsley opt out? No chacne. He’s coming off a 2nd striaght BAD, BAD year. He staying to keep the $!

RHP Kirby Yates already announced his retirement so count him out.

RHP Emmanuel Classe is banned and facing Prison time so no chance there.

Just not much in Free Agency to pick from AT ALL BUT… IF the Yankees do get LHP Adrian Morejan, and RHP Pete Fairbanks that is still a great haul.

SUMMERY:

Stay alert, VERY ALERT in the coming weeks for rumblings and such. Again, no Yankees INF George Lombard was not offered for Goodman. That was fake.

BY: Adam King