The Yankees don’t need to overhaul the whole roster this winter, but they do have some obvious holes to patch after getting bounced in the ALDS. Free agency opens five days after the World Series ends, and Brian Cashman should have a few specific targets in mind as New York looks for upgrades on the margins.
Third base, center field and backup catcher all sit on the list of needs. The bullpen could also use help, especially with 10 Yankees set to hit free agency this offseason, most of them relievers.
And with Trent Grisham’s departure pending, the outfield could use another bat in center field. The problem for New York is that the free-agent market in the AL East doesn’t exactly overflow with solutions.
Still, a few names make sense.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa would be one of the cleaner fits if the Yankees want a versatile infielder who can help without forcing the issue. The 31-year-old utilityman wouldn’t change the whole shape of the roster, but he could fill the kind of role Amed Rosario held this year, and maybe do it with a steadier glove.
Rosario’s offensive line this season was .238/.279/.405 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, and a .684 OPS across 87 games. His work in the field was even rougher, particularly at third base and second base.
At third, he posted a .911 fielding percentage, made seven errors and finished at -6 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average. At second, he had a .882 fielding percentage, two errors and -1 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average.
That’s the kind of production the Yankees can’t justify carrying into 2027.
Kiner-Falefa, by contrast, gives New York insurance all over the infield and a little more. He spent two seasons with the Yankees in 2022 and 2023, appearing at shortstop, third base, both corner and middle outfield spots, and second base.
At third base in 2022, he played six games and logged a .909 fielding percentage with one error and 0 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average. The next year, he was better there, finishing with a .963 fielding percentage and 3 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average.
This season with Boston, Kiner-Falefa kept moving around the diamond. He saw time at second base, shortstop, third base, designated hitter and first base, and the defense held up across the board.
Offensively, he hit .242 with five doubles, two home runs, 16 RBI and a .633 OPS in 66 games while working back from a stress fracture in his left forearm. His hard-hit rate was 25.9%, the second-lowest of his career, but he did hit .283 against right-handed pitching.
Rosario hit .295, but the Yankees would probably value the glove more.
Cedric Mullins is another AL East name who belongs on the Yankees’ board. He already knows the division from his time with the Orioles and Rays, and he’s also played in the New York market before with the Mets in 2025. If New York wants to pair someone with Spencer Jones in center field, Mullins would at least bring a clear defensive upgrade.
The Rays outfielder has a mutual $10 million option, but it would be surprising if both sides decided to return at that number. This year, Mullins hit .205 with 15 home runs, 48 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
The bat didn’t carry him, but the legs still played, and the glove stood out. He finished the regular season with 12 Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant, which is a strong number.
That kind of defense would be a meaningful step up from Grisham, and the Yankees are likely going to need another center field option one way or another for 2027, whether that comes through free agency or a trade like Steven Kwan, maybe.
The last name here is also from Tampa Bay: Taylor Walls. The fit is different, but the logic is the same. The Yankees already have George Lombard Jr., and he’s the real deal, but the infield depth chart still has some uncertainty with second and third base, plus Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rosario both heading toward free agency.
Walls could help cover the gaps. He has experience at shortstop, second base and third base, and this season he started 115 games at shortstop for the Rays.
The offense is light - .222 with 18 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 36 RBI and a .607 OPS - but he does bring speed. He stole 21 bases, the second-most of his career, and that matters if the Yankees lose Chisholm’s legs.
Tampa Bay has a $3.1 million club option on Walls for next season, and it’s fair to wonder whether the Rays would keep him if they want a more reliable bat. If they pass, New York should at least keep him on the list as a bench piece alongside Jose Caballero.
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