ORLANDO – With a bunch of reporters huddled round him in a lodge room on Sunday evening, Brian Cashman acknowledged a difficulty with the present development of the Yankees’ lineup.
Requested if the group is simply too left-handed, the final supervisor interjected.
“We are,” he mentioned from the Signia by Hilton in Orlando, the place the Winter Conferences kicked off. “Right now we are, without a doubt.”
As issues stood late Sunday evening, the Yankees’ projected on a regular basis lineup would have 5 starters who swing from the port aspect: catcher Austin Wells, first baseman Ben Rice, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., third baseman Ryan McMahon and middle fielder Trent Grisham. That quantity would enhance if the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger, one thing Cashman restated his need to do, although the outfielder hits southpaws nicely.
If the Yankees don’t retain Bellinger, kids Spencer Jones, a lefty, and Jasson Domínguez, a switch-hitter who’s superior from the left aspect, have a greater probability of taking part in a serious half within the outfield subsequent season.
“Yes, we are left-handed,” Cashman reiterated. “That is a problem.”
So how can the Yankees remedy that downside?
Cashman mentioned that he’s “open-minded” to “challenge trades,” his time period for offers by which groups swap main league-ready or confirmed expertise. For instance, he talked about the 2012 commerce that noticed the Yankees embody the late Jesús Montero in a package deal that introduced Michael Pineda again from the Mariners.
“Because of the imbalance, yes, I’m certainly exploring if there are options,” Cashman mentioned, although he indicated he wouldn’t swing a deal for a lesser hitter than what he has just because the beginner is a righty.
He added that he sees the aforementioned gamers as “part of the solution rather than a problem,” and that he likes having these people on his roster. Nonetheless, the Yankees might nonetheless commerce from their left-handed surplus.
The sweet-swinging Rice has garnered curiosity and comes with defensive questions at first after being introduced up as a catcher, however the Yankees see him as a middle-of-the-order bat and have him underneath membership management for some time.
There have additionally been rumors swirling round Chisholm, as he’s scheduled without cost company after the 2026 season. He has repeatedly expressed curiosity in signing an extension earlier than that, however that’s not usually how the Yankees function. Chisholm’s worth, in the meantime, is at an all-time excessive following a 30-30 season.
“It doesn’t have to be that way, but that’s generally our history,” Cashman mentioned of the Yankees’ usually not providing extensions. “And he is somebody who I think is currently part of the solution, someone who has made us better by getting him two deadlines ago and giving us athleticism. He’s above average. He’s an All-Star second baseman. Great defense, steals bags, power, all that stuff. So he’s been a good get.”
That leaves Wells, McMahon, Domínguez and Jones as lefties who might doubtlessly be traded, the final two extra so if Bellinger indicators elsewhere. Grisham must consent to a commerce previous to June 15 after accepting the qualifying supply.
Whereas Wells is coming off a down 12 months on the plate, the Yankees worth his protection behind it, and there’s some skepticism that Rice can deal with receiving duties full-time. McMahon, in the meantime, is an elite defender, which makes up for his lackluster bat.
Cashman mentioned that “McMahon’s our third baseman” however added, “can you find balance throughout your offensive situation? It would be nice to have.”
“Whether it’s third base, second base, first base, catcher, center field; they’re all left-handed,” Cashman mentioned at one other level throughout a 31-minute scrum. “Again, we’ll be open-minded. But my default is these are all individually good players. We acquired them for a reason: because we wanted them, and they have been productive with us. Therefore, it’s not easy to part with either. But the job is to be open-minded to anything, everything, regardless.”
The Yankees might additionally tackle their downside by including a right-handed bench bat or two.
That’s what they did once they had been overly left-handed final summer season, as Cashman acquired three right-handed position gamers in José Caballero, Amed Rosario and Austin Slater earlier than the commerce deadline. Whereas Caballero stays on the roster – he’s the favourite to start out at shortstop on Opening Day with Anthony Volpe recovering from shoulder surgical procedure – the latter two are free brokers.
Bringing Rosario again would make sense for the Yankees, as he carried out comparatively nicely as a seldom-used platoon piece, can play second and third, and was a optimistic, energetic affect on the bench.
Slater hit simply .120 over 14 video games, as a hamstring harm hindered his first impression with the Yankees.
If the Yankees don’t re-sign Bellinger, they may pursue a free agent, righty-hitting outfielder like Austin Hays for a platoon position. In the meantime, Japanese free agent Kazuma Okamoto swings from the proper aspect and performs each nook infield spots, although he might land a assured beginning position and acceptable compensation elsewhere.
Cashman would additionally like so as to add a right-handed hitter to his catching depth after rostering three lefty-swinging backstops in Wells, Rice and J.C. Escarra at occasions final 12 months.
Nonetheless, he mentioned, “I’m not going to import a horrible right-handed hitting catcher that may’t catch. Catching is a really skinny market.
“As I stated earlier, I acknowledge that we are left-handed dominant throughout our lineup, and so to get more choices for our manager would be a great thing for us to do.”
