Expect Yankees To Define MLB Offseason Again

The New York Yankees are no strangers to making big moves every offseason. In many eyes, what the Yankees do can set the direction of what the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball might do.

This season appears to be no exception.

MLB.com recently wrote about 13 teams that could define this offseason leading into 2024 and, to little surprise, the Yankees made this list.

But these Yankees are a team that is certainly fighting some headwinds. They missed the playoffs in 2023. Some of the big-name contracts they handed out didn’t pan out. The Yankees started a youth movement late in the season and that will probably have some carryover into 2024.

And, while the Yankees typically spend, there is some question about exactly how high the Yankees might go in the pursuit of big-contract players, most notably Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani and Cubs slugger Cody Bellinger.

Still, MLB.com writes that the Yankees will absolutely play a part in the direction of this offseason:

But New York does have the resources to make a major move, be it signing Ohtani or trading for Juan Soto or something else of significance. The Yanks would be a fit for Bellinger, Jung Hoo Lee, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and other outfielders. They could dangle Gleyber Torres in a trade. Overall, they’re going to need to make multiple moves to get younger, more balanced and more agile, and that means they’ll be active in this market.

The Yankees didn’t have a Silver Slugger this year, but rookie Anthony Volpe won his first Gold Glove and pitcher Gerrit Cole is up for an AL Cy Young, as he is one of three finalists.

Slugger Aaron Judge had another solid year, but it was marred by a couple of injuries including a toe injury that kept him out of the lineup for more than a month. Another slugger, Giancarlo Stanton, struggled mightily at the plate.

The Yankees did call up several young players that made an impression, including outfielder Jasson Dominguez, who figures to miss most, if not all, of 2024 after Tommy John surgery.

That’s why the Yankees figure to be players in free agency and in trades again this offseason as they to get back to the playoffs in 2024.