The New York Yankees are expected to be among the most active teams in the upcoming offseason, as highlighted by Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller. They face a complex balancing act both on player and finance fronts.
The front office will confront potential free agency decisions on several key players, including Gerrit Cole, who holds an opt-out clause, Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, and Alex Verdugo.
Miller underscored the significance of the Soto-Aaron Judge combination in driving the Yankees toward a potential top seed in the American League playoffs. He noted that the front office would be eager to keep this dynamic outfield duo intact, though competition from other teams, notably the New York Mets, could complicate efforts to re-sign Soto.
Cole, the Yankees’ ace, has the option to opt out of the remaining four years and $144 million on his current deal. However, the Yankees can retain him by tacking on an additional year at $36 million, a decision that could keep him in pinstripes.
Miller explored the potential financial implications of retaining both Cole and Soto, noting that their combined contracts, alongside other deals, could push the Yankees’ payroll to around $210 million for key players next season. Even if one or both depart, the Bombers would still possess the financial muscle to target other high-profile free agents.
Despite the Yankees’ current success and their narrow lead in the AL East, Miller stressed the importance of Cole and Soto, both of whom are considered generational talents. Since joining New York, each player has lived up to the hype—Cole winning the AL Cy Young Award last season and Soto forming a formidable partnership with Judge.
Miller concluded that it would be surprising to see the Yankees let either star leave, especially Cole, given the team’s ability to extend his contract. With their performances crucial to the team’s success, keeping both Cole and Soto remains a priority as the Yankees look to solidify their roster for the future.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Torres is not coming back, neither is Verdugo. That’s just under $23M in salary alone. I would be surprised Holmes and Rizzo would come back, that’s another $15M more in salary coming off. Soto already counts as $31M on the CBT table, do giving him a raise of even $18M is not going to hurt. But the pressure is on Cashman and his guys to really have kids ready to be in the Majors, and to give chances to those who deserve it, not who they think deserves it. When they make the decisions that way, they are usually wrong. Anyone look at what Trey Sweeney and Andres Chapparo are doing since their call ups?