The New York Yankees have been active over the past week, as they’ve officially announced the signing of starting pitcher Max Fried. as well as trades for closer Devin Williams and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger. That said, they still have several holes to fill before spring training arrives in February.
In part one of our Yankees mailbag, you all had questions about the trade and free-agency markets, roster construction and the fallout from losing Juan Soto.
Let’s get to your questions:
Is there any world where the Yankees trade for Vlad Guerrero Jr.? If so, what would the package potentially look like? — Sam S.
It would be shocking if the Toronto Blue Jays traded Guerrero this offseason. They were willing to spend lavishly on Juan Soto, hoping to give the franchise the jolt it needed to get back into October. They’ve been interested in several other big free agents, including Corbin Burnes and Alex Bregman. The Blue Jays are looking to add, not cut.
Where things get interesting with the Blue Jays, though, is how this club will look at the trade deadline. If the Blue Jays are sputtering in the American League East and don’t look like a playoff contender, they could be incentivized to trade Guerrero then. He’s a free agent at the end of the season — if Toronto believes it won’t re-sign Guerrero in free agency — it would make sense to get something for him.
This is the strategy the Los Angeles Angels should have used with Shohei Ohtani before he hit free agency. Instead, the Angels received a compensatory pick in the 2024 draft after Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
If Guerrero were to become available before the trade deadline, he would immediately become the most prized target for numerous clubs looking to make win-now moves. The Yankees’ interest in Guerrero would likely depend on what they do at first base the rest of the offseason. If they sign Christian Walker to a multiyear deal, then it may not make sense to pursue Guerrero. If they go into the season with Ben Rice as the first baseman, it may open the possibility of exploring the trade market in July.
What’s unclear is what Toronto’s appetite would be in trading their star to an in-division rival. Would the blow of losing him be satiated by a package that starts with prized infield prospect George Lombard Jr.? Could a deal work where Lombard, Rice and pitching prospect Chase Hampton go to Toronto?
The Yankees may have to overpay for Guerrero, but it’s the kind of move that could vault them back to the World Series.
Do you think Yankees brass was legitimately embarrassed by the Game 5 loss? How much of the roster construction this offseason is being shaped by that 5th inning? — Josh B.
Embarrassed might be too strong of a word. They were disappointed. Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone have all pushed back on the narrative that they were fundamentally poor. The fifth inning in Game 5 all had mistakes by the guys you’d want to be involved in any play: Aaron Judge, Anthony Volpe and Gerrit Cole. There’s no question that they need to tighten up defensively and on the basepaths, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to the market trying to improve on what happened in the fifth inning.
So far, the Yankees have signed a top-of-the-rotation starter in Max Fried and have traded for a closer in Devin Williams and an infielder/outfielder in Cody Bellinger, whose defense has slipped over the past two years. Those moves don’t signal a correction to what happened in Game 5.
How do you think the offense shakes out? We need hitters! — Mike F.
You are right, Mike, the Yankees need more offense. Judge would break the MLB single-season record for walks if Bellinger ends up being their biggest move on offense. With Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto’s departures, that’s about 60ish home runs that are gone from New York’s lineup. Bellinger should see a spike in homers if he continues pulling the ball in the air, and a full season of Jazz Chisholm Jr. could help. Improvements from Volpe and Austin Wells can also make a difference. Jasson Domínguez could also add power to the lineup.
While the Yankees have been connected to Bregman and Pete Alonso, it would be surprising if they spent what they’re asking. At first base, it may be more palatable for the Yankees to give a one-year contract to someone like Paul Goldschmidt or Carlos Santana. They could also explore the trade market, where Yandy Díaz, LaMonte Wade Jr., Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Naylor are possibilities.
If the Yankees wanted to grab an outfielder, Angels outfielder Taylor Ward is an option. He could play left field, Domínguez could play center and Bellinger could become the first baseman. It appears as if the Yankees are waiting to see how the corner outfielder market develops with Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander remaining available.
Whatever the Yankees decide to do, they need more offense.
Can you provide an update on where Spencer Jones is in his development phase? How close is he to possibly playing in The Bronx one day? — Michael B.
Cashman was asked about Jones’ development at the Winter Meetings. Here is what he said:
“I think he’s capable, clearly, of more. I think he’s going through his journey of development. He’s a physical beast. These bigger guys — I still remember Dellin Betances who turned out to be one of the game’s great setup guys. His development wasn’t linear. It wasn’t a skyrocket. He had a lot of success in A-ball, and in Double A and Triple A, he stalled. All of a sudden, it clicked.
“The same with Aaron Judge. Judge’s best years have been on the major-league side, not the minor-league side. These superior physical beasts that Spencer Jones would qualify as, the development takes time. The tools are real. The excitement is there. You have to be patient.”
Cashman added on Wednesday that Jones likely won’t be in the majors this year. He worked through some mechanical adjustments this year that have not clicked for him just yet, having struck out 200 times in Double A. Currently, Jones is not close to being a factor for the Yankees.
Do you see any chance of Gleyber coming back? If not, how do the Yankees fill out their infield? — Philip W.
I don’t think Torres will be back with the Yankees. Here’s what Cashman said Wednesday about that possibility: “I’ve talked to Gleyber’s agents, so I’d say until we or he does something, there’s still an opportunity.”
The Yankees currently have a hole at second base. They could easily re-sign Torres if there was interest, but it’s clear they would prefer to go a different direction. Maybe if Torres’ market doesn’t materialize and the Yankees are still searching later in the offseason, perhaps a one-year prove-it deal could work, but I doubt it.
How the Yankees fill the rest of the infield remains a mystery. We discussed potential first-base candidates above. One name to keep an eye on for the middle of the infield: Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe. He’s owed $10.5 million this season, and the Rays tend to trade their higher-priced players. If the Rays were to move him, there should be interest from the Yankees.
The Yankees already had Judge practicing at first base. Has there been any more internal discussion about moving him there to save wear on his legs? Moving him now would allow them to put Bellinger in center (or in left, with Dominguez in center). — G F E.
To be clear, Judge has not practiced at first base. He’s merely fielded throws from his teammates during spring training. But it would be false to say Judge has practiced the intricacies of how to field the position. Also, players are constantly out of position during warmups/spring training. I’ve seen Marcus Stroman and Alex Verdugo field grounders at second base, Trent Grisham and Austin Wells at first base. None of this matters. Until they’re learning the fundamentals of the position, it doesn’t constitute practice.
If you listen to my Yankees podcast, I’ve mentioned that the best possible first baseman the club could get this offseason would be Judge. It would solve many issues the team has and may preserve his long-term health. It does not seem like the Yankees are ready to do that this season, though. Their priority is to get him back in right field.
What do you think is the future for DJ? — Michael H.
I think LeMahieu will report to spring training and the Yankees will evaluate what he has to offer. If he looks similarly to how he has over the past two years, they have to seriously think about designating him for assignment before the start of the season and eating the $30 million he’s owed. It already looks like a sunk cost and there’s no point in keeping him on the bench. They could use that roster spot in a better way.
Was Soto close to any of his Yankees teammates? — John C.
One of, frankly, the dumbest storylines that has emerged since Soto signed with the New York Mets is that he was some pariah inside the Yankees’ organization who didn’t celebrate with his teammates long enough after winning the American League pennant, who made a big stink about team security and signed with the Mets because of a free suite.
I vividly remember Soto in the middle of a celebration inside the Yankees’ clubhouse where he was surrounded by Tommy Kahnle, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil and Anthony Volpe as they danced to “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” by KAROL G over an hour after the game ended. Soto would pause interviews so he could dance with his teammates. He was particularly close with Torres and Oswaldo Cabrera. He took a mentorship role with Domínguez when he was promoted in September.
I cannot say whether or not he kept in touch with any of his teammates in the offseason, but it’ll of course be a talking point in spring training. I’m just not sure why it’s taboo to say he signed with the Mets because they offered the most money. That is what happened here.
Stay tuned for Part 2 on Monday.
(Photo of Aaron Judge and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
