Who is next on the Yankees chopping block?

Since the New York Yankees are almost out of the playoff race, they’ve been paying more attention to their young players. Releasing outfielder Harrison Bader and third baseman Josh Donaldson and replacing them with young guns from the farm shows that the team is really focusing on younger talent.

Anthony Volpe has been playing shortstop throughout the season, and now Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza have joined the team too after being promoted on August 22. Oswaldo Cabrera is also going to play more often than before. The Yankees went a step ahead and added Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells to the MLB lineup on September 1.

The question now is, What about the experienced players on the team? How do they fit into the rest of this season and the plans for the Yankees in 2024? Here are a few well-known veteran players and consider what might be in store for their futures.

Luis Severino: Free agent after 2023 season

Once a contender for the Cy Young Award, Severino’s performance has taken a hit this year, and he’s been one of the most terrible pitchers in the league with a 6.64 ERA in 81.1 innings. However, in his recent two starts, the right-handed pitcher displayed glimpses of his previous form, and he hopes to continue that trend as he approaches free agency.

In any case, the 29-year-old player will be an interesting free agent due to his long history of injuries. This could lower his value more than his performance difficulties, as teams might consider him a project worth investing in to improve. However, these same factors make it unlikely for Severino to remain with the Yankees, even though he had mentioned his wish to stay earlier this season. The Yankees need a more reliable roster of players.

Giancarlo Stanton: Yankees’ biggest liability

Following this year, the Yankees owe a financial obligation of $98 million to Giancarlo Stanton until 2027. The team would gain significant advantages by trading Stanton. His contract, history of injuries, and limited mobility, particularly in the outfield, have negatively affected the team’s performance for a while. While his strong hitting ability has compensated for this to some extent in the past, that hasn’t been true this season.

Certainly, these factors make it really hard to trade Stanton, who is 33 years old. Even if the Yankees managed to find a team interested in taking him, like the Dodgers in Stanton’s hometown, they would need to pay a big part of his salary for many years ahead. Interestingly, the Marlins decided to do exactly that when they traded Stanton to the Yankees.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa: The comeback man

After a really tough first year with the Yankees, Kiner-Falefa has won over the fans. He’s been playing almost every position and has been one of the team’s most reliable hitters in 2023.

Kiner-Falefa will be a free agent after this season. But he wants to come back to the team. And equally said that he wants to play more than he did this year. He can play different positions and is good at making contact with the ball. This could make other teams interested in him when he becomes a free agent. The Yankees have another player who can play many roles and costs less, Oswaldo Cabrera.

Gleyber Torres: The eternal trade candidate of the Yankees

Gleyber Torres, who is 26 years old, has been the Yankees’ top hitter and has managed to avoid injuries this season. Even though the team’s offense hasn’t been great, it would have been even worse without him, especially considering there were rumors that he might be traded before the season started.

However, Torres is already earning $9.95 million before his last arbitration year. So, the Yankees might consider trying to trade him to save money as his salary increases. The team doesn’t have many young middle infielders, but they do have players like Peraza. Torres could be a valuable trade asset due to his age and performance, especially since there aren’t many better hitters in his position.

Wandy Peralta: The bullpen flame thrower

Since joining the Yankees in 2021, Wandy Peralta has been really good. He’s a popular member of the team’s bullpen and is known for being a left-handed pitcher.

However, Peralta is also among the various instances that demonstrate the Yankees’ ability to discover or nurture cost-effective relief pitchers. Given that he’s 32 years old, the team could easily opt for a more affordable and younger approach.

Kyle Higashioka: The vacillating catcher

Higashioka, who has been with the Yankees throughout his career, is still eligible for arbitration for another year. However, the Yankees might decide not to re-sign the 33-year-old catcher, especially with prospects like Austin Wells and Ben Rortvedt available, along with the injured Jose Trevino, who is also on the team’s roster.

Kenyan Middleton: Yankees’ bargaining chip

The Yankees didn’t make many changes during the trade deadline, but Middleton has proven to be a valuable addition to the bullpen since joining from the White Sox. The team could consider re-signing the 29-year-old for a reasonable contract, especially since Middleton had previously signed a minor league deal with the White Sox last year. However, if that doesn’t happen, the Yankees usually have no difficulty finding relief pitchers.

Domingo German: Yankees troubled underbelly

It would be shocking to see Domingo German, who is 31 years old, return to the Yankees in 2024. An incident in the clubhouse led to the pitcher receiving treatment for alcohol abuse and was placed on the restricted list for the second time. This ultimately ended his season. Despite this, the team stood by German even after he was suspended in 2019 for domestic violence. Notably, his nameplate has remained above his locker at Yankee Stadium.

Frankie Montas: A liability because of Cashman’s folly

Montas, who is 30 years old, is considered one of the Yankees’ most regrettable trade acquisitions. Unfortunately, he isn’t expected to play for the team this season as he heads into free agency. He had shoulder surgery last year after only playing in eight games for the Yankees.

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