The Yankees are heading into the offseason with some real work to do on the position-player side, and the list of holes is pretty clear. Trent Grisham and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are likely to hit free agency, and there’s also the lingering question of whether Ryan McMahon belongs on the roster at all. McMahon has never posted a season with at least a 100 wRC+, and since arriving in New York, he has been even worse than usual.
That leaves the Yankees staring at uncertainty in center field, second base, and possibly third base too. Spencer Jones appears to have done enough to open next season as the starting center fielder, even if his work there last year came with some rough edges. He finished with -4 Outs Above Average and -4 Defensive Runs Saved in center, but with another year of experience, he should get the chance to show more.
The bigger issue is what’s happening on the infield. Second base was a problem, with the Yankees producing an 89 wRC+ there, which ranked 10th worst in baseball.
A lot of that came from Chisholm regressing. Third base was even more of a mess.
The Yankees got a 74 wRC+ at the hot corner, worst in the league, and every team that finished behind them there missed the postseason.
If New York can find a 110 to 120 wRC+ bat at both second and third, the offense could take a major step forward. The problem is that the free-agent market doesn’t exactly overflow with answers.
At second base, once Chisholm is removed from the picture, the best options are Gleyber Torres and Luis Arraez. Torres probably isn’t coming back to the Bronx, while Arraez has long been viewed as a poor fit for the Yankees. Still, with Chisholm likely gone, Arraez could slide in at second without much trouble.
Bo Bichette is another possibility. He could handle either second or third, though it would be a surprise if he didn’t opt into his deal with the Mets after a down year with them.
Third base looks even thinner. Eugenio Suarez has a mutual option, but he was a struggle last season, and if he reaches free agency, he should be treated as a fallback plan.
Alec Bohm is also out there, but he’s not much of an upgrade. He’s a poor defender and posted a 90 wRC+, which doesn’t represent much of a jump from McMahon and wouldn’t really change the lineup’s outlook.
So if the Yankees are going to upgrade meaningfully, the trade market may be where they have to look. Isaac Paredes would fit nicely at third. He posted a 130 wRC+ at the position last year along with 25 home runs, and his career 121 wRC+ suggests a hitter who produces year after year.
Jeremy Pena is another Astros name who could surface in trade talks. He would be an interesting fit because the Yankees could put him at shortstop and shift George Lombard Jr. to second. Pena brings the better glove, and while Lombard would lose some value by not playing his best position, that combo up the middle would still give New York a strong defensive look.
At the end of the day, the focus of this offseason has to be offense. The Yankees already have solid pitching depth. Now it comes down to finding the right bats and, ideally, finally pushing past the American League Division Series, where they’ve been stuck since their World Series appearance in 2024.
In Other News...
Aaron Judge And Yankees Brass Are Suddenly Clashing Over One Big Issue
The Yankees are spending the early days of the offseason sorting through more than just the pain of another October exit. After their ALDS elimination, Aaron Judge publicly took aim at the roster and the way the club has been preparing, while Hal Steinbrenner has been digging into the offenses inconsistency and the organizations hitting-development structure. The result is an uneasy backdrop for a team that was supposed to be built around championship expectations, not internal questions about how it goes about chasing them.
Steinbrenners concern has extended to how players engage with the clubs analytics and development approach, which only sharpens the contrast with Judges view of the Yankees commitment and readiness. Those differing perspectives are now part of the larger offseason conversation, with the organization facing decisions that go beyond a few roster tweaks and into the deeper question of whether its methods still match its ambitions. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Shortstop Search Could Cost Them A Prospect Fans Love
The Yankees search for stability at shortstop is already reaching into the kind of trade market that can reshape a roster, and Jeremy Pena is one of the names drawing real attention. The Astros shortstop has been productive, and at 29 he still fits a window that gives a contender some runway, but there are also defensive metric concerns that make any deal a little more complicated than a simple upgrade on paper.
For New York, the bigger issue may be the cost. Any serious pursuit would likely force the Yankees to part with young talent, and George Lombard Jr. is the type of prospect who could end up in the conversation. Houston has its own roster and contract decisions to sort through, which only adds another layer to a potential deal that would test how far the Yankees are willing to go to solve the position. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Found The Lineup Fix Fans Have Wanted
The Yankees have spent plenty of time searching for the right kind of bat to help balance out a lineup that has leaned too heavily on power. Steven Kwan is the type of player who could change that conversation. The Cleveland outfielder brings the contact ability and on-base skill New York has been chasing, and he adds another layer with his defensive value in the outfield.
Kwans profile stands out because he gets on base at a high clip and does not strike out much, two traits that can give an offense more reliable traffic on the bases and longer innings at the plate. He is under control through the 2027 season, which makes him more than a one-year rental, and the Guardians could at least listen if trade interest builds. For the Yankees, the appeal is obvious, even if any serious pursuit would still depend on Clevelands asking price. [Read more 🡒]