About the Off-Season: Building a Team

About the Off-Season: Building a Team

By Tim Kabel

Decmber 9, 2024

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On Tuesday, the Yankees completed the long-rumored trade for Cody Bellinger from the Cubs. The Cubs are paying a small portion of his salary, and the Yankee sent them Cody Poteet. Cody Poteet was not an integral part of the Yankees’ plans for 2025. At best, he might have made an emergency start or had a minor role in the bullpen. Most likely, he would have stayed in Scranton. Cody Bellinger will have a major role for the 2025 Yankees. He has reportedly already been informed that he will be the starting centerfielder, although Brian Cashman walked that back a bit yesterday.

The roster for 2025 for the New York Yankees is really starting to take shape. They have improved the starting rotation and the bullpen and are working on the offense. Assuming Jasson Dominguez will play leftfield, that leaves openings at either third base or second base, depending on where the Yankees play Jazz Chisholm, Jr., and at first base. Let's explore those vacancies.

I believe the most likely scenario is that the Yankees will move Jazz Chisholm back to second base. After some initial struggles as he adjusted to third base, he did a fine job and it is reasonable to believe that if he continued to work at the position, he would become a credible third baseman. However, the Yankees do have the ability to acquire a third baseman and shift Chisholm back to second base. I have read speculation regarding three possible options for third base. One is Nolan Arenado, who would have to be acquired via a trade. I have read that the Yankees have not expressed a great deal of interest in Arenado. I agree with that line of thinking, as Arenado is expensive, aging, and appears to be declining. Another option would be to trade for Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins. I would avoid that like the plague. The Yankees passed on Correa both times he was a free agent, and he is now older, and his skills are beginning to fade.  Remember, before the 2023 season, he signed free agent contracts with both the Mets and the Giants, and both of those contracts were voided due to injury concerns. Last year, he only played 86 games. Thanks, but no thanks. The third option is Alex Bregman. He is not a superstar but, he is a very solid player who won the Gold Glove in 2024. I think he is the best option and would help make the 2025 infield for the Yankees one of the best in the game.

First base also presents some interesting options. The Yankees have been linked to practically everybody who has ever played first base. The most likely candidates are Christian Walker and Pete Alonso, both of whom are free agents. Walker is older but, is more athletic and a better fielder than Alonso. Alonso has tremendous power.  The best in-house option is Ben Rice, who is a left-handed batter. He showed flashes of brilliance as a hitter last season but, needs to develop consistency. The Yankees may be unwilling to go with Rice. They may want a more proven commodity at first base. That leads me to my trade proposal.

In the trades to acquire Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger, the Yankees did not give up top prospects. Caleb Durbin had not been a highly ranked prospect prior to his breakout in the Arizona Fall League. He was highly regarded but not at the same level as Spencer Jones or others. The Yankees could certainly make things very interesting by pursuing a trade for Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. That has been discussed by many of us here at SSTN and other places as well. The Blue Jays attempted to sign Juan Soto but failed. They may decide that they will be unlikely to resign Vladi when he becomes a free agent. Therefore, they may be willing to trade him. The Yankee should definitely explore that option. If it costs them Spencer Jones, Ben Rice, and a few other prospects, they should pursue it. Maybe they could include Marcus Stroman. However, they should request an opportunity to sign Vladi to an extension before completing a trade. The Yankees do not need a repeat performance of the Juan Soto situation. Imagine the lineup if they made that trade!

If the Yankees are not able to make a trade for Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and instead sign Christian Walker or Pete Alonso, they will still have upgraded the team immensely. Think about it. If they add Bregman, Bellinger, and either Walker or Alonso, they will be replacing Soto, Alex Verdugo, Gleyber Torres, and Anthony Rizzo with the three players I mentioned and Jasson Dominguez. While it is true that the Yankees did not bring back Juan Soto, the players they have signed or traded for as well as those they will sign could make the team better than it was.

The Yankees are motivated, just as they were before the 2009 season. This time, they want to make up for the loss in the 2024 World Series and the sting of losing Soto to the Mets. I think the Yankees are angry as an organization and feel that they have something to prove.

We as fans can certainly benefit from that and it seems that we already are.