After 15 years, the New York Yankees finally made it back to the Fall Classic, pitted against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a series many fans were looking forward to. However, coupled with the pressure of the moment, a lack of fundamentals and questionable managerial decisions, New York was gentlemen’s swept by their West Coast rivals. With over $90 million set to come off the books due to free agents, not including player or club options, according to Spotrac, we will explore key players Brian Cashman should bust out the paycheck to keep and candidates to replace those the front office should let walk.
The Yankees made possibly the easiest decision ever last Friday, picking up Luke Weaver’s $2.5 million club option, as he is one of the most effective relievers in the sport. Gerrit Cole and the Yankees agreed to a four-year, $144 million deal after the ace initially opted out of his player option, seeking either a new deal or an additional year tacked on.
Juan Soto: Resign
The biggest question heading into this offseason is what team will land 26-year-old generational talent Juan Soto. With potential suitors in the Dodgers, Mets and Phillies, among others, the demand for Soto is massive. After all, the lefty is coming off an excellent season where he slashed .288/.419/.569 from the dish, including 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. What makes Soto even more valuable is his ability to excel under pressure, as evidenced by his excellent postseason career, including when he carried New York to this year’s World Series. His biggest moment in pinstripes came in game five of the ALCS in extra innings, where he launched a no-doubt, three-run shot to right-center field, sending the Yankees to the Fall Classic. Despite these highlight moments in the Bronx, Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, have made it clear this will be a business transaction, and the highest bidder will likely win, meaning we could see a contract of around $550 to $600 million. To remain competitive, Cashman needs to make an offer near this figure and build around superstar Aaron Judge.
Anthony Rizzo: Walk
Last Friday night, the New York front office declined Anthony Rizzo’s one-year, $17 million club option, and the 35-year-old will hit the free agency market—although the team will cough up $6 million for his buyout. While the former Chicago Cub has brought the clubhouse a solid veteran presence for the younger players to learn from, the Yankees need a stronger bat at the other hot corner. A realistic candidate the front office should pursue is Christian Walker. The 33-year-old is off the heels of a down season, playing in only 130 games and missing all of August with an oblique injury. Despite that, he still put up a respectable .251/.335/.468 slash, all while mashing 26 home runs and 84 RBIs. Considering his consistency with the Diamondbacks and his reliable bat, shelling out $20 million plus a year for the righty would be a wise move for Cashman, considering he would be on a short team deal of two to three years. If Rizzo comes back to the Bronx, it should not be as a starter or close to $17 million a year. There are rumors that the 2016 World Series champion will hang up the cleats for good, although that is undetermined, and his time in pinstripes may not be over.
Gleyber Torres: It depends
The Yankees are in an odd spot regarding second baseman Gleyber Torres. He is a fan favorite who has had some success in the Bronx, although he is coming off one of his worst years offensively in both the regular season and playoffs. However, if this price is right, Torres could be a steal for Cashman and Co. Paying more than $14 million annually for the second baseman is a hard sell, as the Yankees have many options and need to prioritize money elsewhere. However, it’s hard to ignore the regular season and playoff success he had in the past, and that could influence New York to shell out the money to keep him.
If the salary works out or the team misses out on Soto, Alex Bregman is an excellent option. The Houston slugger is a third baseman, meaning Aaron Boone would slide Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base and revamp the New York infield. However, if Bregman isn’t available due to the high salary, Cashman can call Caleb Durbin up. The 24-year-old is a young prospect in the farm system who is coming off a solid campaign in the Arizona fall league. Resigning Torres would be the best move, but him walking won’t be the end of the world, as inking Soto and Walker are the biggest moves the Yankees need.
Alex Verdugo: Walk
For the first time in his career, 29-year-old outfielder Alex Verdugo will not be under club control and will be an unrestricted free agent. The left fielder is coming off his worst season yet, owning a WAR less than 1.0. Verdugo’s postseason performance from the dish wasn’t anything special either, with a batting average just above .200. This is an issue for a team like the Yankees, who stranded 11 bases in their game one World Series loss at Los Angeles. This figure only increased as the series progressed and was a primary reason why New York lost.
There are many high-end replacements in the free agency class, including Tyler O’Neill and Jurickson Profar. Verdugo will look for a contract with an AAV of $15 million, so an outfielder in this class will cost only a little more than Verdugo. Another option exists, and it’s the most cost-effective of them all: Jasson Domínguez. “The Martian” has been in the New York farm system for years now, and in that time, he has shown much potential. Yankee fans got a look at the outfielder briefly last season, although he only played in 18 games. While his .179 batting average is a concern, he is coming off only eight MLB games the year before and was putting up impressive numbers in the minor leagues. It’s only a matter of time before the 21-year-old figures it out, and it’s too early to give up on Domínguez. The smartest thing would be to give Domínguez at-bats at the MLB level and let him reach his potential, which Verdugo’s departure sets this up perfectly. However, New York should seek out a veteran, as the team is in win-now mode, and putting Domínguez in this role carries some risk due to his inexperience.