Four moves Yankees should make in MLB offseason: Pursue Juan Soto trade, sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The 2023-24 MLB offseason is underway and, we in the end noticed the primary important transfer Sunday because the Phillies introduced again righty Aaron Nola on a $172 million deal. More notable trades and loose agent signings will come quickly sufficient now that the non-tender cut-off date has handed. Here are our height 50 loose brokers and in addition our height 25 industry applicants. Thus a ways 0 of the ones 75 gamers have modified groups this wintry weather.

Speaking as a baseball fan, the offseason is the most efficient time to place in your GM hat and play delusion baseball. My favourite workforce should industry for this man, sign that man, so on and so on We have restricted information as outsiders, so the offseason grasp plans in our head generally tend to appear silly with time, however that may not prevent us. Playing faux GM is part the thrill of being a sports activities fan.

Despite figuring out higher, we’re going to play GM right here at CBS Sports, and map out an offseason plan for the New York Yankees now, and different groups in the approaching days. With that in thoughts, listed here are 4 moves the Yankees should make this wintry weather.

1. Sign Yamamoto

Yes, the Yankees desperately wish to reinforce an offense that completed twenty fifth in runs and twenty fourth in OPS, however they have got wishes at the pitching facet too. You cannot simply forget about something as a result of one thing else stands proud as a better want, and there is no order of operations right here. You can cope with your 2nd largest want earlier than your first. It’s OK.

Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the perfect loose agent pitcher to be had this offseason as a result of he’s handiest 25, he has high-end energy stuff, he is handiest 25, there is no draft select repayment connected, and he is 25. Did I point out he is handiest 25? That’s vital. Rarely does a participant this younger and this gifted develop into to be had for not anything however cash. Once a decade, possibly.

GM Brian Cashman muddied the waters slightly when he known as Giancarlo Stanton injury-prone, prompting agent Joel Wolfe to warning “foreign and domestic” gamers about becoming a member of the Yankees. Wolfe, in fact, additionally represents Yamamoto. Ultimately, cash has some way of smoothing issues over. If the Yankees make Yamamoto the most important be offering, they’re going to get him.

The Yankees have Gerrit Cole, the unanimous AL Cy Young winner, and that’s the reason a perfect man to construct your rotation round. The remainder of the rotation carries possibility, alternatively. Carlos Rodón used to be harm and unhealthy in his first yr with the Yankees, Nestor Cortes is coming off a couple of rotator cuff accidents, and Clarke Schmidt set a brand new profession excessive in innings in 2023 (through so much).

Yamamoto carries possibility himself — as dominant as he is been in Japan, you simply by no means understand how he will take care of MLB till he will get right here — however he’s a high-end arm with a possibility to pitch at or close to the entrance of the rotation, and once more, he is handiest 25! Yankees chairman Hal Steinbrenner mentioned he needs to get more youthful this offseason. Yamamoto would are compatible a formative years motion completely.

Masahiro Tanaka’s seven-year, $155 million contract with the Yankees is the one related benchmark for Yamamoto. Yu Darvish may handiest negotiate with the Texas Rangers given the blind bid posting device when he got here to MLB. Because of his age, Shohei Ohtani used to be matter to the global bonus laws when he came to visit. Kodai Senga is kind of six years older than Yamamoto.

Like Yamamoto, Tanaka got here to MLB at age 25, and he used to be the most efficient pitcher in Japan on the time. But that used to be a decade in the past now. Offer Yamamoto seven years and $155 million and it’s possible you’ll end 5th in the vote casting. My bet is the bidding begins at seven years, groups will notice it will take 8 to get it executed, and a determined groups places a 9th yr at the desk to seal the deal.

For any workforce, now not simply the Yankees, Yamamoto would reinforce their 2024 odds whilst giving them a long-term rotation development block with important upside. The Yankees should reinforce their offense, obviously, however pitchers as excellent and as younger as Yamamoto don’t develop into to be had each and every offseason. You need to sign them whilst you’ll be able to. This is the place they should flex their monetary muscular tissues.

2. Bring in a large lefty outfield bat

The Yankees want two outfielders this offseason, each a left fielder and heart fielder, they usually badly desire a left-handed bat to diversify the offense. It’s astonishing a workforce that performs in Yankee Stadium, with its quick correct subject porch, has constructed a lineup this is so right-handed heavy. Look what number of plate appearances the Yankees have got from left-handed hitters in fresh years:

 The Astros make their loss of lefty bats paintings as a result of their two number one left-handed hitters are Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker, two of the most efficient hitters in the sport (from all sides of the plate). New York’s chief in left-handed plate appearances since 2021 is Anthony Rizzo. After him it is guys like Aaron Hicks, Joey Gallo, Rougned Odor, and Jake Bauers. That’s now not going to chop it.

Bringing in a left-handed hitter is a should this offseason and it must be a top quality left-handed hitter, now not simply any lefty. The obtrusive identify right here then is San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto, who’s an obtrusive industry candidate given San Diego’s intent to chop payroll and wish to carry in younger ability, in particular pitching. A Soto industry clears cash and offers an inflow of younger ability.

The Yankees fit up neatly for a Soto industry. First and important, they are one of the most few groups in a position and/or prepared to soak up his projected $30-plus million wage subsequent yr. Because Soto is a yr clear of loose company, his marketplace is restricted to contenders, and that marketplace is additional restricted as a result of a industry with the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants is not going. 

And 2nd, the Yankees are deep in higher point pitching possibilities, which is San Diego’s largest want. Double-A righties Chase Hampton and Drew Thorpe are consensus top-100 possibilities. Triple-A righties Clayton Beeter and Will Warren are very as regards to MLB in a position. The Yankees may put Schmidt and fellow large leaguer Michael King at the desk as neatly.

I’m now not announcing the Yankees should package deal all the ones pitchers to get twelve months of Soto. I’m simply announcing they have got sufficient upper-level fingers to no less than get their foot in the door and get started a dialog. And you’ll be able to see how signing Yamamoto would lend a hand with a Soto industry, correct? Sign Yamamoto and it all of sudden turns into so much more straightforward to industry, say, King and Hampton, or Schmidt and Thorpe, and many others.

Soto is just about precisely what the Yankees want on offense. He’s a left-handed batter with energy and persistence, who has proven he can superstar at the sport’s largest level (Soto hit .333/.428/.741 in the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals), and he brings a undeniable swagger and depth to his at-bats that the Yankees appear to lack this present day. New York’s offense is a pushover.

The handiest explanation why to be towards a Soto industry is the reality he is a yr from loose company and impossible to sign a long-term extension with out first exploring the marketplace. Given the state of the Yankees, you need not check out not easy to peer them buying and selling a large package deal for Soto, getting a perfect yr out of him in 2024 and lacking the postseason anyway, then dropping him to loose company subsequent offseason.

That’s considering too a ways forward, I imagine. Cole grew to become 33 in September and Aaron Judge will flip 32 in April. Those two handiest have such a lot of top years final, and going from their disastrous left subject scenario this yr (.668 OPS and minus-1.6 WAR) to Soto is the one largest improve the Yankees can make this offseason, realistically. It is a gigantic improve.

The Yankees don’t seem to be going to show themselves into World Series contenders through taking small bites. A sequence of average upgrades will handiest take them thus far. At some level they’re going to need to take a large swing, and Soto is the most important swing they may be able to make this offseason. He suits their offensive wishes really well and, in principle, they have got the younger pitching to lure the Padres.

And hi there, the Yankees may all the time re-sign Soto after subsequent season. They can indisputably have enough money him, and a industry for him now provides the Yankees a season to promote Soto at the group. And what? Maybe Soto involves New York and hates it. That can also be treasured information too. Better to understand that now than whilst you blindly give him $400 million subsequent offseason.

Long tale quick, the Yankees desperately want an affect left-handed hitter this offseason, and the easiest are compatible is at the industry marketplace in Soto. He would considerably reinforce New York’s World Series odds in 2024 and put them in the most efficient place to make probably the most of Cole’s and Judge’s final top years.

3. Add a 2nd lefty bat

Soto can be a very good begin to the offseason, offensively, regardless that the Yankees would nonetheless want some other lefty bat in addition to him. They want multiple lefty this wintry weather. The lineup is so right-handed and so at risk of high-velocity righties in the overdue innings. Cashman & Co. have executed a deficient activity balancing the lineup in fresh years and doing so this offseason is a should.

Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, and Alex Verdugo are all industry applicants who make some point of sense for the Yankees (regardless that guess towards a industry with the Boston Red Sox, as all the time). The loose agent marketplace as some choices as neatly (indexed alphabetically):

OF Cody Bellinger: An obtrusive are compatible for the middle field-needy Yankees, regardless that the Yankees price go out pace as an analysis software, and Bellinger ranks towards the ground of the league in hard-hit talent. Bellinger turns out extra like an alternative choice to Soto than somebody the Yankees would spend the cash to pair with Soto.

3B Jeimer Candelario: New York’s 3rd basemen controlled a .655 OPS and plus-0.2 WAR this offseason. They may give younger Oswald Peraza a protracted glance there in 2024, regardless that breaking in a tender prospect does not all the time align with bettering your World Series odds. Candelario’s switch-hitting energy bat would are compatible neatly on the scorching nook.

OF Kevin Kiermaier: Kiermaier may well be the participant the Yankees are in all probability to carry in from outdoor the group this wintry weather. They desire a heart fielder and a lefty bat, and Kiermaier is a middle fielder and a lefty bat. He’s additionally very aware of the AL East. He’s a backside of the order man greater than a difference-maker, however he suits.

OF Jung Hoo Lee: Lee, a 25-year-old superstar in Korea, supplies elite bat-to-ball talent. We’re speaking tippy height of the road touch charges, one thing the Yankees may use. There is a few worry about his excessive flooring ball charges and skill to stick in heart long-term, however he’s a possible are compatible for the Yankees given his formative years and left-handedness.

DH Shohei Ohtani: We have to say Ohtani, correct? Ohtani is the best and maximum gifted participant in the arena and the Yankees should all the time be in on gamers like that. Do you suppose his swing will paintings in Yankee Stadium?

The factor right here isn’t roster are compatible. The Yankees have Stanton locked in at DH, but when you’ll be able to sign Ohtani, you sign him, and make the remainder of the items are compatible in round him. The factor is Ohtani’s said need to play for a contender. The Yankees simply went 82-80 and completed in fourth position. Does he view them as a contender? I do not know.

There are different lefty bats in loose company who may make sense for the Yankees (Michael Brantley, Joc Pederson, and many others.), however the ones 5 guys above are probably the most notable ones. I’m now not going to select a selected identify right here and say “he’s the guy.” In this phase, I’m simply going to notice the Yankees want more than one high quality lefty bats this offseason. It is crucial for his or her competition hopes.

4. Improve intensity

When Cashman famous Stanton is injury-prone, he inadvertently introduced consideration to his personal failure to construct good enough intensity. The Yankees gave over 900 plate appearances to Bauers, Willie Calhoun, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Billy McKinney this season they usually mixed for a .662 OPS. More worrisome is the efficiency of New York’s rookie-eligible hitters:

The Yankees gave learners numerous plate appearances this season, and rather than Jasson Domínguez’s nice week, they did not hit in any respect. Anthony Volpe used to be handpicked for the shortstop activity and he hit .209/.283/.383 in 601 plate appearances. The Yankees handed on Carlos Correa and Corey Seager and Trea Turner and all the ones nice loose agent shortstops, and that is the outcome.

You construct intensity through making shrewd trades and free-agent signings, and through growing gamers internally. The Yankees have now not had an on a regular basis place participant arise thru their device since Gleyber Torres in 2018 and it is a downside. It’s one thing that should be addressed now not only for the sake of the 2024 Yankees, however for the franchise long-term. The Yankees want extra from their device.

Bottom line, the Yankees should reinforce their intensity this offseason and lift their very own inner substitute point. It’s more straightforward mentioned than executed, discovering high quality gamers who can also be stashed in Triple-A or at the bench is tricky, however the Yankees need to do a greater activity of it than they did this yr, and truly the previous few years. Big names like Yamamoto and Soto gets the entire headlines this offseason, however high quality intensity is ceaselessly the separator between contenders and pretenders.