The New York Yankees are making moves this offseason-but not the kind that typically generate buzz in December. The latest?
Right-hander Allan Winans has been released so he can pursue an opportunity in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. It’s a move that, on the surface, might seem minor.
But in the context of a winter that’s already seen the Yankees lose multiple arms, it adds another layer to a growing concern: pitching depth.
Winans, 30, wasn’t a lock for the Opening Day roster. He was out of minor-league options and likely on the bubble for staying on the 40-man roster through the winter.
Still, he represented something that’s increasingly valuable over a 162-game grind-reliable, experienced depth. And now, he’s gone.
With his departure, the Yankees’ 40-man roster drops to 36, offering some flexibility but also raising eyebrows.
This isn’t an isolated case. Winans joins Luke Weaver and Devin Williams as pitchers who’ve exited the Bronx this offseason.
And while none were expected to headline the rotation, they were the kind of arms that help teams survive the inevitable attrition of a long season. The concern isn’t that Winans was going to be a key contributor-it’s that the Yankees are bleeding depth without clear replacements.
Right now, the Yankees’ rotation is already facing a tough start to 2026. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt are all expected to begin the season on the injured list.
That’s three-fifths of the starting rotation sidelined before a pitch has even been thrown. In that context, every arm matters.
And yet, the Yankees are moving in the opposite direction-trimming from the bottom of the depth chart instead of reinforcing it.
From Winans’ perspective, the move makes sense. He’ll earn more overseas than he would bouncing between Triple-A and the big leagues on a split contract.
For the Yankees, it opens a roster spot. But the bigger question is: what do they plan to do with that spot?
So far, the front office seems content to lean on internal options. That’s a risky approach, especially when you’re already dealing with injuries to your top starters.
The bullpen has also undergone a shakeup-Weaver and Williams are out, and other relievers will be asked to step into bigger roles. This isn’t just about one pitcher; it’s about a pattern of subtraction without clear additions.
Depth doesn’t get much attention in the offseason. But come July and August, when injuries pile up and innings need to be covered, those quiet moves-or lack thereof-can define a team’s trajectory.
The Yankees are walking a fine line. They’re banking on health, on internal development, and perhaps on a bigger move still to come.
But right now, the picture is murky.
Allan Winans won’t be the storyline of the Yankees’ offseason. But his departure, added to the others, is starting to shape the narrative. And unless that roster flexibility turns into something tangible, it’s fair to wonder if the Yankees are preparing for a long season with too few arms to carry the load.