On Monday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic compiled a ten-item list to return the Yankees to the World Series. We shared it on the site as part of Tuesday’s news roundup, and it generated a fair bit of conversation. I thought we could take the time today to comb over the ten recommendations with a critical eye, seeing what aligns and what conflicts with our vision for the team and how to get them back into the Fall Classic.
First, the list:
- Extend the QO to David Bednar
- Let Jazz Chisholm Jr. walk in free agency
- Hold a competition between Anthony Volpe and José Caballero for second
- Revisit playing Luis García Jr. at second or third
- Commit to Carlos LaGrange as a reliever full time
- Sign a right-handed catcher
- Pursue reliever Adrian Morejon in free agency
- Check in on Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes
- Acquire Steven Kwan
- Don’t overreact to Rays making World Series
Rather than respond to all ten items, I would rather combine
elements and sentiments of each to find out how close or far apart Kirschner and I are on our evaluation of the Yankees’ needs and their avenues to address them.
Right off the bat, I’ll say that I agree with points three, five, and ten and don’t have much more to add to what Kirschner wrote. I also want to note the uncertainty over the financial landscape of the league post-CBA negotiations. What we do know based on public comments is that Hal Steinbrenner has been probably the owner most vocal in his support of instituting a salary cap, the most recent offer from the league to the union a $245.3 million cap, $171.2 million floor, and 50-percent revenue sharing. Many fans wondered why the owner of the most valuable franchise in the sport would voluntarily sign away the financial advantage he holds over lower revenue teams, however this presumes his motivations are driven by competitive advantage and not by appreciating his franchise’s value via the greater cost certainty that a cap would bring.
We can agree that Steinbrenner has been consistent in his desire to rein in payroll spending, so as always we have to view future planning through that lens. This affects points one, six, and seven. I certainly agree that the Yankees should extend the qualifying offer to David Bednar. At $23.15 million, the QO sits at the very top of the reliever market by AAV, but with the payoff of just a one-year commitment and possible draft pick compensation should he decline. However, I would simultaneously work towards negotiating a multi-year deal, somewhere in the two-to-three year range to lower AAV, as Bednar finally brought long sought-after stability to the closer role.
That being said, I would not be as willing to commit significant dollars to any reliever beyond Bednar. This includes Morejon, who projects to be the best reliever on the free agent market and a left-handed weapon the Yankees sorely need in their ‘pen. Matt Blake’s continued success in churning out high leverage relievers from pretty much anyone he gets his hands on is an incredible money-saving asset for the Yankees, helping remove the risk of investing substantial money in the most fungible position on the roster.
As for backup catcher, I’m not so much wed to a right-hander so much as literally anyone who’s a viable major league backup after suffering through the dregs of J.C. Escarra and Ali Sánchez. I’m probably more confident than most that Austin Wells is back to himself after recovering from the cervical headaches that plagued his early season — we’ve seen on too many occasions the affect head injuries have had on recent Yankees — and the rehabilitation of his bat along with his ever-elite defense means I’m comfortable with him getting the majority of reps behind the plate. As such, I think you can avoid another expenditure here on an investment in a productive but costly right-handed backup like Carson Kelly or Ryan Jeffers and sign a true second-stringer for a fraction of the cost.
That brings us to the conundrum of second and third base. Here is where I diverge the most from Kirschner. I think the Yankees should bring Jazz Chisholm Jr. back, preferably on the QO. In a league that is scant on high value second baseman and a free agent cupboard pretty bare of impact hitters, Jazz is your best option at the keystone. Even in a down year he generates such a high floor with his solid glove and elite base running, so this is not the same situation as the Trent Grisham QO, who was coming off an anomalous career-year — admittedly with batted-ball data to back it up but worsening defense and hamstrings that were likely already shot. I don’t love the idea of a declining-OBP Luis Arraez in a park that suppresses singles and I’m skeptical that Brandon Lowe is suddenly an able defender at second for the first time entering his age-32 season.
Speaking of defense, I am absolutely not on board with hoping García can man second or third. He is an absolute butcher with the glove at both positions, though proved himself more than capable at first. I would like to see him at first as much as possible given Ben Rice’s struggles at the position with Rice living as your primary DH. This begs the question of what Giancarlo Stanton’s future looks like, and I regret to say that I think there is a strong possibility he could get DFA’d this winter. He’s been my favorite Yankee since joining the team on account of his stoicism in the face of criticism and postseason heroics, but with the Marlins paying $10 million this coming season and the next I could see them eating the remaining $15 million.
Incorporating part of point eight, the two trade targets I believe the Yankees should be pursuing in earnest this winter are Jeremy Peña and CJ Abrams. The Yankees have not had a game-changing slugger up the middle since Robinson Canó and this pair represents two of the best middle infielders in the league. Neither projects long term for shortstop, and their weaker gloves and arms seem destined for second. Kirschner noted Isaac Paredes’ terrible glove and pull-side approach that would suffer without the Crawford Boxes which is why I would stay away from the Astros’ third baseman.
Instead, I’m convincing myself more and more each day on NPB star Teruaki Sato. There are questions about his glove and how his bat would make the adjustment to MLB pitching. However, there were similar questions facing Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto and the pair just put up three-win seasons while slugging well over 30 bombs each. Plus, I would love to see the Yankees reestablish a foothold in the Japanese market when you look at the amount of commercial revenue the Dodgers have reaped and the allure their existing Japanese core has for future signees. An ideal scenario for me would see the Yankees acquire one of Peña or Abrams and one of Jazz or Sato, that resulting pair of players significantly raising the floor of the Yankees infield as it currently stands.
That brings me to the point that I hadn’t considered before reading Kirschner’s list and one that seems like a slam dunk. Steven Kwan and his .357 OBP and elite bat-to-ball skills seems like the perfect profile for a prospective leadoff hitter. He’s always been an able defender and acquitted himself well in his first season as a primary center fielder. While I wonder about the sustainability of the four-point jump up in his walk rate in 2026, he’s still never posted below three fWAR in five seasons with a ceiling as a 125-130 wRC+ hitter. I wouldn’t balk at headlining a potential deal with Spencer Jones despite how impressed I was at his mid-season adjustments and growing comfort at the plate, though I question Jones’ fit in an organization that doesn’t seem to prioritize high power at the expense of low contact.
In all, I’d say I’m in more agreement than not with Kirschner’s vision for the Yankees’ offseason. I’d say I’m a little more wary of the budgetary constraints and therefore reallocated those funds to the areas of the roster I feel are more dire needs, though I’d also say my aims are slightly more ambitious. Despite the sting of the sweep in the ALDS, this team is not that far away from the top of the AL and I hope ownership recognizes this and authorizes the necessary reinforcements to get it there.
