The Yankees’ winter to-do list is already taking shape after a three-game ALDS sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays, and not every move has to come through free agency. Brian Cashman and the front office may also need to use the trade market to reshape the roster, especially if they decide certain players no longer fit the 2027 picture.
That conversation starts with Jasson Dominguez, whose 2026 season never quite found its footing. The 23-year-old opened the year at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre and mashed there, batting .326 with five doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games. Once he got the call to the majors in late April, though, the ride got bumpy fast.
Dominguez suffered a left shoulder sprain in May, landed on the 10-day IL and missed 30 games. Before the injury, he was struggling at the plate, hitting .200/.250/.367 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs in nine games. After he came back, he hit .235 with 10 doubles, five home runs and a .656 OPS in the majors, along with seven stolen bases and one caught stealing.
The Yankees then sent him back down after acquiring Heilot Ramos at the deadline. His next run in Triple-A also fell short of expectations, as he hit .232 with three doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs from Aug. 7 to Sept.
- New York gave him one more look in September, but it lasted only four games.
During that stint, he made errors in two separate games and hit .111 in 10 plate appearances. A final demotion sent him back to Triple-A to finish the year.
For a player once billed as “The Martian,” the fit in New York hasn’t worked out the way the Yankees hoped, and a move to a smaller market or a club that can give him regular playing time might make more sense.
Then there’s Ryan McMahon, the name that jumped to mind immediately for plenty of Yankees fans. The 31-year-old third baseman struggled throughout the season, finishing with a .213 average, 11 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .635 OPS.
His advanced numbers didn’t offer much relief either. His home run rate dipped from 3.4% in 2025 to 3.1%, while his walk rate fell from 11.9% to 7.8%.
He also produced less hard contact, dropping to 45.0% from 50.6% the year before.
The problems weren’t limited to the batter’s box. McMahon committed nine errors and posted -3 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average, which only strengthens the argument that the Yankees can do better at third base.
Aaron Boone has said Luis Garcia Jr. can play the position at times next season, and Anthony Volpe also enters the discussion. The obstacle is money.
McMahon has one year left on his contract and is set to make $16 million, so moving him won’t be simple. Still, a team such as the St.
Louis Cardinals could view him as a stopgap, and the Yankees could use a backup catcher, which St. Louis has.
Will Warren is a different case. He fits more as a pitcher the Yankees could move than one they absolutely need to trade, and if he goes, it would have to bring back an upgrade at third base or another clear need.
New York doesn’t have to give him away, especially considering the depth in the rotation. Warren handled a full workload well in his second season in the majors, going 11-6 with a 3.92 ERA in 32 games, including 29 starts.
He allowed 21 home runs, just one fewer than the 22 he gave up in 2025, but he also struck out 158 batters in 156 innings. Right-handed hitters had more trouble with him than lefties, as he held righties to a .242 average and .717 OPS, while lefties hit .276 with a .787 OPS.
He also finished strong, posting a 2.05 ERA and limiting opponents to a .217 average over five September appearances, three of them starts. Even with that, the Yankees could still explore moving him, though his versatility makes it far from a necessity.
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