Yankees Could Solve Outfield Woes With Longtime Nemesis

It's no secret that the New York Yankees have been looking for a right-handed hitter, and, in particular, another outfielder, with Aaron Judge slowly returning and Giancarlo Stanton's status being a total mystery. The trade market has the potential to have an influx of bats, and, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, George Springer could be available.

Dating back to the 2017 American League Championship Series, and even as recent as last season, Springer has been a thorn in the Yankees' side, and if there's a chance the Toronto Blue Jays move off of him, heading Bronx-bound is an intriguing idea. The issue with Springer is that he is not the same player as he was in the past. He's hardly the same player he was last season.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

George Springer's decline

Springer, who, just like Stanton, is headed into free agency after the 2026 season and is coming off a renaissance year in 2025, in which he hit for a 166 wRC+. But he has fallen back to Earth as most of that Blue Jays roster has. Springer is currently hitting .233/.314/.397 with a 101 wRC+. He has 11 home runs and 30 RBI.

On top of that, all his underlying metrics are down. He was above the 95th percentile in expected batting average, xSLG, and barrel rate last season. He has crashed well below the 50th percentile in all of those categories (h/t Codify Baseball on Twitter/X).

my goodness pic.twitter.com/R8bxigkend
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 24, 2026

George Springer is still an upgrade from what Yankees have

What Springer would offer the Yankees, though, that Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones can't, is a veteran bat with postseason experience. This is far from Springer's best year in the big leagues, but in a big spot, it's unlikely for him to be overwhelmed the way a young player like Jones or Domínguez may be.

This season, Domínguez has an 81 wRC+. Jones has been a little better, albeit it's a small sample size. In 87 plate appearances, he has a 95 wRC+ and at least comes with a dependable glove. At some point, the Yankees need to be honest with themselves about what both young players can offer them this season if they're serious about a World Series run. Springer can at least boost their chances.

Plus, there are few players available to them on the market who have 83 games worth of postseason experience. When the lights get bright, Springer does come through. Between the Astros and Blue Jays, he is hitting .271/.346/.534 with a 138 wRC+ in October.

Helping the Blue Jays by taking George Springer's contract on

There are just a few issues with trading for him, aside from his regression. For one, they are absolving the Blue Jays of the $25 million due to him next year, as well as the rest of what he's making this year. This could hamper the Yankees' ability to make future transactions while opening up a rival's payroll.

Then, there's the matter of his glove. Defensively, there's the potential of having two statues on this roster between him and Stanton if he returns. Springer has a -5 Outs Above Average and -6 Defensive Runs Saved. You can live with that if he's hitting, but he has been mediocre.

Despite the negatives potentially outweighing the positives, the one certainty with Springer is that he is a viable bat. The bright lights haven't scared him, and seeing as they haven't had much offensively from their young outfielders, Springer's 101 wRC+ would be an upgrade.

With Springer, it's just a matter of who else is out there. It would certainly grab some headlines, but if there are other pieces out there, those are likely worth exploring over the 13-year vet.

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