The Yankees’ offseason conversation already has a few different lanes, and Cam Schlittler is sitting at the center of the biggest one.
On Monday night, the 25-year-old right-hander was named a finalist for the 2026 American League Cy Young Award, joining Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease and Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick. The Yankees celebrated the nod on social media, posting: “Congratulations @Cam31Schlittler on being named a 2026 AL Cy Young finalist 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BIqKR8fhCC”
Schlittler has the kind of season that makes the finalist list feel like a formality. He went 14-6 in 33 starts, threw 193 2/3 innings, posted an MLB-best 1.95 ERA, and added 239 strikeouts with a 0.92 WHIP.
The Cy Young winner will be announced on Nov. 11.
His year was strong enough to create some AL MVP buzz too, though he did not make the finalist cut there. That group includes the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez, the Rays’ Junior Caminero, and the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr.
Elsewhere on the Yankees’ radar, former catcher Gary Sánchez is back on the market. The Brewers declined their half of a mutual option on Sánchez, making him a free agent. He spent 2026 as the backup to World Series MVP catcher William Contreras, but still produced some real power, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 38 runs in 275 plate appearances.
That makes him at least worth a look for a Yankees club weighing its catching depth behind Austin Wells. Sánchez will turn 34 in December, and he last wore pinstripes in 2021. He has also been open about the idea of returning to the Bronx.
And then there’s a different kind of Yankees connection heading to another organization. Robinson Canó’s son, Robinson Canó Jr., is reportedly set to sign with the Marlins for $1 million as part of Miami’s 2028 international class. The 16-year-old shortstop spent time this year in the Mexican League, though he cannot officially sign until the 2028 international period because of age rules.
For Yankees fans who followed Robinson Canó’s career from beginning to end, the name still lands with some weight. Canó spent nine seasons in New York from 2005-2013, making five All-Star teams, winning five Silver Slugger awards and earning a World Series ring in 2009. His father, José Canó, also played professionally, including six games pitched for the Houston Astros in 1989 and time in Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League.
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Yankees Offseason Pivot Just Put Pressure On Their Backup Plan
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That has pushed New York toward a different tier of options, with Tyler Stephenson drawing attention behind the plate, Alex Vesia standing out as a left-handed relief possibility and Luis Arraez lingering as a fit at second base. Tyrone Taylor also has emerged as a more affordable alternative to Seiya Suzuki, a reminder that the Yankees may need to balance ambition with practicality as they sort through a backup plan that suddenly matters a lot more. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Predicted Catcher Signing Could Change The Plan For Austin Wells
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Jeffers would bring the kind of offensive upside the Yankees have been missing behind the plate, even if the defensive profile is not as clean. His arrival would also ripple beyond the immediate upgrade, because it could alter how the club maps out Austin Wells and the rest of the catching picture as the Yankees try to balance production now with the long-term plan. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Culture Debate Just Took Another Turn After Viral Criticism
The Yankees clubhouse culture has been back in the spotlight since Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphys comments about the team went viral during the World Series. Murphy later said he reached out to general manager Brian Cashman to explain what he meant, stressing that the remarks were tied to a long-running joke with first baseman Jake Bauers rather than a broader shot at the 2026 Yankees.
Even so, the episode kept a familiar talking point alive around New York, where any criticism of the organization tends to carry extra weight after a disappointing postseason. Murphys explanation may have softened the edges of the original video, but it also underscored how quickly a casual aside can turn into another debate about the Yankees identity, and why the reaction around it has lingered. [Read more 🡒]