The Yankees’ season ended in a way that still has to sting in New York: a 3-0 sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series. It was the second straight year the Yankees were knocked out by a division rival in the ALDS, and now the pressure around that roster feels impossible to ignore.
That kind of exit usually brings change, and if New York starts shopping pieces, the Rangers should be paying close attention. There are a few Yankees who would fit Texas in a way that makes too much sense to ignore, especially if the Rangers decide to move Josh Jung or Corey Seager in the process.
Anthony Volpe is the cleanest fit. The 25-year-old infielder started the year on the injured list after left shoulder surgery, came back in May, then struggled enough at the plate that the Yankees sent him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
He returned on Sept. 10 and finished with a below-average .265/.308/.388 slash line in 14 games in September. For the season, he logged 1.4 fWAR and an 88 wRC+ over 70 games with New York.
Volpe also showed up in only two of the Yankees’ five postseason games, going 1-for-3 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series and 2-for-4 in Game 3 of the ALDS. But his appeal goes beyond the rough year.
He can handle shortstop, second base, and third base, and he’s under team control through the 2028 season. If Texas moves Jung and/or Seager, Volpe would make a lot of sense.
Ryan Weathers is another name that fits the Rangers’ situation. New York acquired him from the Miami Marlins this past offseason, and during the regular season he posted a 3.60 ERA with 143 strikeouts across 137 1/3 innings.
A left forearm flexor strain cost him the final month of the season, but he still gave the Yankees a useful year, much like what Texas had hoped to get from MacKenzie Gore. In the postseason, the Yankees used the 26-year-old out of the bullpen, and he delivered 1 2/3 scoreless innings in two appearances.
Weathers is also controlled through 2028, and the Yankees’ pitching depth plus their need at third base could make a swap with Jung work for both sides.
Then there’s Heliot Ramos, who could help Texas in a different way. The Yankees just got him at this year’s deadline from the San Francisco Giants, but he barely made a dent in October, taking only three at-bats. That kind of postseason usage could push New York to consider moving him this winter.
Ramos, 27, bats right-handed, which matters for a Rangers lineup that already features left-handed hitters Brandon Nimmo and Evan Carter. Texas could use that balance, especially against southpaws. Joc Pederson is set to become a free agent after the World Series, so the DH spot will be open next year too.
Ramos is under team control through 2028, and because he hit just .198/.309/.379 in 38 games after joining the Yankees, he probably wouldn’t cost nearly as much on the trade market as some other names. Since debuting in 2022, he has hit .253/.315/.417 with 57 homers and 189 RBI, and he was especially dangerous against lefties this season with a .908 OPS against southpaws.
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