It’s quite a haul for the reigning American League champions, but if the Yankees want to go further and win their first World Series title since 2009, they can’t stop there.
New York needs at least one more infielder to make up for the loss of Gleyber Torres and safeguard against DJ LeMahieu’s injury tendency. It also needs to shore up a bullpen that will look different in 2025 with ex-closer Clay Holmes now a starter with the cross-town New York Mets.
Some of this could be solved if the Yankees manage to trade Marcus Stroman, which they are actively trying to do, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. But if the Yankees can’t move Stroman and the $36.5 million remaining on his contract, they can still dip back into the free agent pool. The big names are mostly off the board, but there is value and upside still to be found.
If the Yankees can’t trade for a second baseman, they need to take a chance
OK, maybe Jorge Polanco isn’t a bargain bin free agent, but he’ll come cheaper this year than he would have a year ago.
Polanco is coming off of the worst full season of his career and it came at the worst time imaginable with the ex-Seattle Mariners second baseman hitting free agency. His .651 OPS and .213 batting average were both career lows while his strikeout rate (29.2%) hit an all-time high.
It was enough to make the Mariners decline to pick up his club option. Next, Polanco will likely look for a short-term deal to prove he still has the potential to hit the 33 home runs he tallied in 2021.
Even if Polanco isn’t his old self, he’s an upgrade over whoever the Yankees plan to start at second base right now. That could be LeMahieu, who was ineffective when healthy last year, or some combination of Oswald Cabrera and Oswaldo Peraza. Regardless, it’s a clear weak spot in the lineup.
That’s why the Yankees had been looking to trade for either Gavin Lux or Luis Arraez. But with Lux now headed to the Cincinnati Reds and Arraez deemed a poor fit in the Bronx, according to a report, Polanco might be the best option available.
New York has its eye on Andrew Chafin and that says a lot
The Yankees have already been linked to Andrew Chafin, and without a left-handed reliever on the active roster, the move would make a ton of sense.
Chafin has played for six teams over his 11-year career with varying levels of success, but is coming off a strong overall season between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers.
And, as baseball fans have come to know, if you’re a relief pitcher and the Yankees want you, that’s an incredibly good sign. New York has a reputation for taking under-appreciated relievers and turning them into All-Stars — just look at the aforementioned Holmes. Chafin is 34, but if the Yankees think he has enough left in the tank to make a difference, then he probably does.
Brent Honeywell Jr. provides high-upside depth
Let’s say the Yankees acquire Chafin and add him and Williams to an already solid bullpen. They would be able to take a chance on another arm, and Brent Honeywell Jr. could be just the guy.
The downside is obvious: The guy is almost always injured. It’s why he’s not in the running to get the type of deal that a reliever with his potential could command. It’s also a low-risk move for a player who was once a high-level prospect and had the respect of his clubhouse with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Honeywell came to LA midseason and, after first being designated for assignment, came back to become an innings eater to save the Dodgers’ bullpen down the stretch. Between time with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Dodgers, Honeywell threw 37.2 innings and compiled a 2.63 ERA.
Maybe the Yankees can unlock the potential that made him a top prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays’ system. If they can, he’ll be a valuable asset. If not, well, it’s not like they’d be losing millions on him anyway.
