CHANGES LOOM
There are four on-field
Thursday night, if they can bear to watch, Yankees decision makers should look very carefully at the Rays and Red Sox. Not only are those the two teams they chased this season, but they are teams that have done what the Yankees have not been able to do: adapt and win.
The Yankees’ 92-win season was disappointing and should be alarming for the future. Not only do the Yankees have to worry about the Rays and Red Sox going forward, but the Blue Jays are young, hungry and nipping on their heels.
The Bombers need change for 2022.
Manager Aaron Boone’s contract is done and that would be an easy way for the Yankees to make a superficial change. The coaching staff has been targeted by fans as easy ways to get things going and it’s possible not all of them will be back in 2022.
Those changes, however, would just be eyewash.
GM Brian Cashman has another year on his contract, has the support of managing partner Hal Steinbrenner and will likely have the chance to try again, for the 13th time, to win the Yankees’ 28th World Series title.
There is a deeper dive into the team’s baseline philosophy that should be examined, as well as looking at how they have structured their decision-making, but there are also some obvious on-field changes he will have to address this winter. Here are four at the front of the list:
WHO PLAYS SHORT?
The Yankees already know it is not Gleyber Torres. That was clear this year when they gave Torres five months and he struggled offensively and defensively.
This free agent class at shortstop is full of quick fixes with Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story, Marcus Semien, and Javier Baez.
But the Yankees have two young shortstops in the organization — Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza — who are expected to
have big impacts in a few years.
Cashman has to decide on a stopgap or one of those quick fixes and move the youngsters to different positions or teams.
WHAT ABOUT SANCHEZ?
For the second straight season, the Kraken did not start in the biggest game of the year. Gary Sanchez worked hard last offseason after a disastrous 2020. He hit 23 homers, but still struggled at the plate and behind it. There are teams that see his power and consider him a “change of scenery” guy who’d benefit from getting out of New York. He heads into arbitration after making $6.35 million and will almost certainly get a raise.
The real problem, however, is that Yankees have drafted catchers the last few years, but none are ready to step up and take over. Kyle Higashioka is a perfect backup and personal catcher to Gerrit Cole, but not an everyday guy.
So the Yankees have to figure out what they want to do behind the plate.
WHO’S AT FIRST?
A year removed from having led MLB in home runs, Luke Voit leaves the 2021 season with
questions about his future in pinstripes. He had multiple injuries, which opened the door for the Yankees to trade for Anthony Rizzo. Though diminished in power, Rizzo was solid offensively and is a good defensive first baseman. The Yankees could try to bring Rizzo, who is a free agent, back on a short-term deal, but he turned down a five-year, $70 million offer from the Cubs.
The Yankees could just play DJ LeMahieu at first, but that undermines his value as a versatile infielder.
COLE AND WHO?
Jameson Taillon showed he can be an effective starter — if he stays healthy — in his first year after his second Tommy John surgery. Jordan Montgomery was steady until the end and his biggest start of the year, which the Yankees have to hope motivates him this winter. Nestor Cortes was perhaps their most consistent starter behind Cole, you have to wonder if the Yankees will give him a chance to prove that in a full season. Luis Severino looked solid in his appearances out of the bullpen after March 2020 Tommy John surgery. The Yankees also have Domingo German back.
Is that enough for a rotation that will have to face the toughest lineups in baseball in the American League East? Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt don’t look like the answers now, so the Yankees will need to add one more quality arm. Corey Kluber is a free agent again if the Yankees want to bring him back or they could go with a bigger impact arm like free agent Robbie Ray and soon to be free agents Max Scherzer and Kevin Gausman.