Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with reporters this afternoon at the GM meetings. When asked about areas of the roster that needed to be addressed, he answered frankly that the club “(needs) a couple of players” (Video provided by SNY).
The longtime baseball operations leader cited a late-season injury to the rookie center fielder Jason Dominguez, who will be released in mid-summer after undergoing Tommy John surgery. “Now I need a center fielder, I need a left fielder, preferably a lefty,” Cashman said.
Cashman also hinted at the possibility of a move involving what he called “internal redundancy.” The Yankees have a Gold Glove winner Anthony Volpe In a short period, while he was 23 years old Oswald Peraza He’s arguably ready to take an everyday look at second or third base. The former prospect has struggled to a .191/.267/.272 line in 52 MLB games this year but had a more impressive .268/.357/.479 showing in Triple-A. Combined with his good reputation for defense all over the field, Peraza could take a step forward in 2024.
The Yankees have Gleyber Torres As a second baseman. The right-handed hitter was New York’s second-leading offensive tackle last season, hitting .273/.347/.453 with 25 at-bats. Torres has not played great defense and is entering his final year on arbitration watch, as MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz predicted, with a salary of $15.3 million.
“Are you trying to find a passage to engage Peraza?” Cashman asked rhetorically. “We have Gleyber Torres in the last year of his contract. He had a hell of a year.” The general manager pointed to the strong second half DJ LeMahieuwho is supposed to be the third baseman.
Cashman stopped short of saying the Yankees would shop Torres, just to be clear. However, marketing the veteran second baseman could be a way to balance the roster. In addition to external needs, the General Director noted the annual desire to strengthen promotion.
Owner Hal Steinbrenner also met with reporters this afternoon (Posted by Bill Ladson of MLB.com). “Everything is on the table when it comes to free agents,” he added. Steinbrenner went on to describe the inability to score goals as the team’s biggest problem in 2023.
All of this points to the potential for a run in the best racket on the market, with Shohei Otani And Cody Bellinger Leading the free agent class. Bellinger, a left-handed hitting center fielder who has dramatically lowered his strikeout rate this year, certainly fits the roster on paper. actually, John Heyman of the New York Post He writes that the club is exploring the top of the offensive market – noting that they have been in contact with Bellinger’s camp during the early stages of the offseason.
Juan Soto It is the biggest subject of trading speculation this winter. It remains unclear how seriously the Padres would consider moving their star left fielder, though the Yankees would certainly be in the mix if the Soto brothers make them available. If they look down on the trade front, the likes of Max Kepler or Trent Gresham It could be on the block. Gresham is the superior defender, while Keibler has the more offensive upside.
As it stands, New York just has Aaron the judge Locked in a location outside the stadium. A short-term buyout — for example, Kepler is one year away from free agency — could allow the Yankees to maintain future flexibility if Dominguez returns in the second half. Everson Pereira He is a highly regarded talent who can work his way into the left field or center field mix but hit just .151/.233/.194 in his first 27 big league games.
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