If at First (Base) You Don't Succeed...

  

Anthony Rizzo (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The Yankees cannot punt the remainder of the offseason…

Like most Yankees fans, I have gotten over the sting of Juan Soto’s decision to take the money and run. It would have been nice to see him return for a second season, but alas, life moves on. The Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres survived life after Soto, and so will the New York Yankees.

I would never attempt to make the argument that the Yankees’ Plan B currently underway is equal to Plan A (Signing Soto), but given the circumstances, fielding an alternative team that can complete with the league’s best is all that we can ask for. The surprise of the offseason was the signing of former Atlanta Braves ace lefty Max Fried. I did not see it coming, but I am certainly glad that he is a Yankee. The Yankees needed a strong Number Two to follow ace Gerrit Cole. The last couple of years have been Cole with three to five level starters (sometimes sixth or seventh!). I have no doubt that Fried will become a personal favorite. A strong lefty is a valuable commodity in Yankee Stadium. I had hoped for more from Carlos Rodón but pushing him down the order in the rotation may help him. Less pressure may allow him the freedom to perform better. Maybe not, but one can hope. I like Carlos despite his struggles at times, and I hope he tastes remarkable success in the seasons to come.

I was a little sad to see Nestor Cortes, Jr go, but I thought the price of Cortes and second base prospect Caleb Durbin was a fair price to pay for one of the game’s best closers. I was ready to go into the 2025 season with Luke Weaver as the team’s designated closer but pairing him with Devin Williams will allow the Yankees to get more creative with Weaver. If Williams misses any time due to injury, it is nice to know that Weaver can step back into the role and thrive. I thought Marcus Stroman might have been the first starter to be shipped out, but Nestor brought Williams to the Yankees, so it had to be him. I will miss Nestor and his atypical pitching style. He was fun to watch, and I always appreciate guys who love being a Yankee.

Nestor Cortes Jr (Photo Credit: Meron Menghistab)

Part of me wishes the Yankees would sign free agent starter Jack Flaherty to free up Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt for inclusion in a trade to help fill the remaining holes in the roster. However, I do not feel there are any more big contracts coming. As such, the Yankees should hang on to Gil and Schmidt to round out the rotation. Cross that bridge in the future if a young arm from the system ascends to the Major Leagues. Will Warren, we are still waiting for you. I would say Clayton Beeter, but I think the bullpen is his destiny. But hey, prove me wrong. I would love it.

Nevertheless, thank you, Nestor, for your time as a Yankee. We appreciated your work, dedication, and performance on the game’s biggest stage. The results were not always perfect but your desire to be the best never wavered. Milwaukee is gaining a first-class player. I hope Brewers manager Pat Murphy finds ways to maximize your abilities and potential. Sometimes when players leave the Yankees, I hope they will struggle. Not Nestor. I genuinely want the guy to succeed.

Before jumping into the holes on the roster, thanks to the Yankees for finally bringing outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to the Bronx. I know the trade was met with a mixed reaction by the fan base, but I have always been a Bellinger fan despite his past struggles. He is not Aaron Judge. We know that. He is not Juan Soto, nor does he try to be. He is Cody Bellinger, and he has value to the role that he brings to the team. I like his diversity, I like his home run swing, I like his defensive play, I like his attitude. It is cool that he will be wearing the same number (35) as his father. I am looking forward to seeing the former Yankee (Clay) wearing a Yankees cap. I got tired of seeing him in Dodgers caps a few years ago. It is also cool that both Bellinger’s are/were on the roster the same time as “Mike” Stanton. I know, the most recent one is Giancarlo these days, but I am sure to many, he is still Mike.

Cody and Clay Bellinger (Photo Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins)

I am glad Aaron Judge will return to right field. I was never too comfortable with him in center field, and while he did a decent job, he is a better right fielder. The Yankees improve team defense in right with Judge’s return, while Bellinger will be the better centerfielder.

Bellinger was one of my favorite non-Yankee players so it will not be hard to embrace him as one of my favorite Yankees. A few Belli Bombs to right field will solidify his standing among the fan base, especially if he hits them when they matter the most.

So where are we? The infield is still a mess. We do not have a first baseman, and either second or third is vacant depending upon where you place Jazz Chisholm, Jr. Anthony Volpe has shortstop covered but there is still work to be done. Former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker is off the board after he signed a three-year deal with the Houston Astros. I am not sure what I thought about Walker. I know he has been a talented player over the years, but he is nearing the end of his shelf life. The same can be said of former D-Backs/St Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt who is still in play as a potential first baseman for the Yankees. I think I might have preferred Walker over Goldy. I do not expect the Yankees to sign Pete Alonso although it would have fun to take something from the Mets. I agree with those who say that Alonso will not age well. The trade options of Yandy Diaz, Nathaniel Lowe, or Josh Naylor make sense. I would be happy with any of those three.

As for second and third, I am flawed in my thinking for sentimental reasons, but I would bring back Gleyber Torres for second base and continue placing him at the top of the batting order. The move would keep Chisholm at third base which might not be the best option when Max Fried is pitching, but DJ LeMahieu is still on the roster and can be the designated third sacker on the days that Fried is pitching. If signing Gleyber is out of the question, move Chisholm to second base and sign Alex Bregman. I despised Bregman and the other Astros players for their cheating ways, but in 2025, I am not going to worry about 2017. Bregman can work to regain admiration from the fan base. He knows how to play, and he can bring value to the team. Bregman’s days as an Astro appear to be over now that Houston has signed Walker, pushing newly acquired Isaac Paredes to third base. I suspect that Bregman will end up in Boston so that we can continue hating him. But if the Yankees took a flyer, I would give him a chance to prove himself.

I hope the Yankees do not stop short in the quest to round out the roster. It seems like every year the team does not do everything it needs to do to field the best possible team. I really hope this year is different. The next couple of years will be the best years of Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole. The Yankees need to take advantage of the window and put the best players on the field around them. This is not the time to go full Arte Moreno on us.

The Yankees still need a few more arms for the bullpen. I continue to hope for a reunion with Philadelphia Eagles fan Tommy Kahnle. Hopefully, the Yankees feel the same way. If Luke Weaver was the great surprise of 2024, I think Atlanta Falcons (former?) starting QB Kirk Cousins’ cousin Jake was not far behind. I am glad Cousins will be back for another go-around. Otherwise, I have confidence the Yankees will find the arms to construct a strong pen. They have seemed to have figured out the formula after the years of watching the Tampa Bay Rays run circles around them with their bullpen choices.

I thought the Yankees might trade backup catcher Jose Trevino this offseason, but the trade of Carlos Narvaez to Boston weakened the replacement strategy. The Yankees think highly of catcher JC Escarra, so I assume he moves up to the next man up position while sitting in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I do not think he has proven his worth as a backup to starting catcher Austin Wells yet, but he will have his opportunities. In the interim, I fully expect Trevino to be back in 2025. Scratch that, the notification just came across that the Yankees have traded Trevino to Cincinnati for RHP Fernando Cruz and Catcher Alex Jackson. JC, you’re up. 

JC Escarra

I am ready for the gates of Steinbrenner Field to open. Not for them to open for the Tampa Bay Rays as their regular season home in 2025, but the earlier opening for the Spring Yankees. It will be good to see the band back together again. Living in the Los Angeles area, I am tired of the Dodgers fans even if I am slightly one (they are my National League team and of course I live in their backyard). When I wear my Yankees cap in public, I always get grief from the comments made by people. I am ready for a rematch that sees the Yankees dump the Dodgers like 1977 and 1978.

I appreciate the Yankees’ aggressiveness this offseason after losing out to Uncle Steve’s money. They remain New York’s elite team, and overpaying a superstar by the Mets is not going to close the gap on a century of excellence by Major League Baseball’s greatest franchise. It is almost comical that the Mets will go into the 2025 season with Clay Holmes in the starting rotation. When right, Clay is a beast, but when he is not, Yikes! I hope the Mets fans have the stomach for Clay’s sudden loss of control. I have seen Social Media posts that say the Mets signing of Holmes was more valuable than the Yankees signing of Max Fried. Yeah, good luck with that.

Major League Baseball finalized their luxury tax calculations for the 2024 season, and as expected, the Yankees ($62.5 million above the $237 million competitive balance tax threshold) were surpassed by the Dodgers ($103 million above) and the Mets ($97.1 million). It was good to see that nine teams in total surpassed the threshold. With even the (city unknown) Athletics spending this offseason, it is great to see more teams getting aggressive with salaries. Speaking of the A’s, what is the deal with all the ex-Yankees? Luis Severino, Miguel Andujar, Gio Urshela. I am surprised that they did not keep James Kaprelian last year. Gleyber Torres must be atop their leaderboard. If Ronald Torreyes wants to make a comeback, he should call the A’s.

As always, Go Yankees!