The Yankees had another good season in 2025, but with the Yankees, good isn't good enough. Going into 2026, they will undoubtedly be looking to reload as they continue trying to take advantage of having a superhuman Aaron Judge on the roster.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Aaron Judge, OF: $240MM through 2031
- Max Fried, LHP: $196MM through 2032 (includes $10MM to be paid in January of 2026, half of $20MM signing bonus)
- Gerrit Cole, RHP: $108MM through 2028
- Carlos Rodón, LHP: $81MM through 2028
- Giancarlo Stanton, OF/DH: $64MM through 2027 (includes $10MM buyout on $25MM club option for 2028; Marlins covering $30MM of remaining guarantee as part of trade)
- Ryan McMahon, 3B: $32MM through 2027
Other Financial Commitments
- Owe $15MM to released IF DJ LeMahieu
- Owe $1MM option buyout to released OF Aaron Hicks
Option Decisions
- Cody Bellinger, OF: will opt out of one-year, $25MM, taking $5MM buyout
- Club has $5MM option on RHP Jonathan Loáisiga with no buyout
- Club has $3MM club option on LHP Tim Hill with $350K buyout
2026 guarantees, assuming Hill's option is picked up: $184MM
Total future commitments: $715MM
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. (5.075): $10.2MM
- David Bednar (5.073): $9MM
- Mark Leiter Jr. (5.031): $3MM
- Clarke Schmidt (4.148): $4.9MM
- Camilo Doval (4.071): $6.6MM
- Jake Cousins (3.091): $841K
- Ian Hamilton (3.081): $941K
- Luis Gil (3.073): $2.1MM
- Scott Effross (3.063): $800K
- Jake Bird (3.051): $1MM
- Oswaldo Cabrera (3.050): $1.2MM
- Fernando Cruz (3.035): $1.3MM
- Anthony Volpe (3.000): $3.9MM
- José Caballero (2.170): $1.9MM
Non-tender candidates: Leiter, Schmidt, Doval, Cousins, Hamilton, Effross, Bird, Cabrera
Free Agents
- Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Devin Williams, Trent Grisham, Luke Weaver, Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough, Austin Slater, Paul Blackburn
The Yankees haven't had a losing season since 1992. They have missed the playoffs just five times in the past 31 years. But the expectations in the Bronx are higher than that. It's now been more than 15 years since the last parade.
There's always pressure for the Yankees to compete but that title drought should create extra urgency. There's also the ticking clock on Judge. He is still producing at an incredible level. Despite missing some time this year, FanGraphs credited him with 10.1 wins above replacement. But he can't keep that up forever and will turn 34 in April. Key contributors like Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are also in their 30s, adding to the sense that winning needs to come sooner than later.
A lot of good things still happened in 2025. In spring training, the club lost Cole to Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil to a lat strain. Despite losing two rotation building blocks, the team dominated early. They were 35-22 through the end of May, giving them a 5.5 game lead in the American League East. But a summer swoon took some wind out of the sails, allowing the Blue Jays to take over the top spot in the East. Those two clubs kept battling and ended up with the same record, though the Jays were given the nod via tiebreaker. They would then face off head-to-head in the ALDS, with the Jays emerging victorious.
Going into 2026, there is still a lot of talent on the Yankee roster, though there are questions. The rotation should be strong in the long run, though that's assuming improved health relative to now. There is certainly work to do in the outfield and bullpen, and maybe the infield too. There's also the question of how much the club can throw its weight around financially.
Historically, the Yankees have often been the biggest-spending club in the league. In 2025, they were third, according to RosterResource. The Yanks were at $294MM, well behind the Dodgers and Mets, and just barely ahead of the Phillies. Owner Hal Steinbrenner seems to feel that he shouldn't have to spend much more than $300MM, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post. The 2026 payroll is currently slated for $227MM, per RR. That gives the Yanks some breathing room even if they are going to be capped around $300MM, though that kind of powder can get used up pretty quickly when filling a roster with some notable holes. Is there enough pressure to push Steinbrenner beyond his comfort zone?
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The NY Yankees are proof positive,that there’s more to building a good team than just “spending”.
Then how do you explain the Los Angeles Dodgers???
See the poster’s statement. One can’t just spend money. LAD uses analytics to do more. A mangitude more of analytics.
“How do you explain”..Why don’t you explain it, it’s your point after all. My point was the Yankees'(or Mets for that matter) spending hasn’t guaranteed them much.
It did guarantee them 33 consecutive seasons of finishing with an above .500 record at the minimum and that they very rarely sold at the trade deadline and will ride things through until the very end each season.
How’s your team doing btw, @mlb fan? Rebuilding, retooling, tanking?
Jones not only has a high strikeout rate, he has an awful zone contact rate. Make him part of a trade while he has some value.
Lombard won’t be ready until 27.
There’s no position player help coming from the minors next season.
As a Met fan I would like to sign Bellinger and Weaver, even if the Mets resign Alonso, than Bellinger can play CF, Benge in RF, Soto in LF and Nimmo either DH or traded.
Bellinger, Okamoto, a fifth starter and a couple reliable relievers.
Need to work on the bullpen. I’d non-tender Hamilton and Effross and I’m on the fence about Bird and Leiter Jr. The starting rotation should be great assuming everyone is healthy. Cole, Fried, Colon, Schlitter and Gil with Warren as a long reliever/spot starter. Maybe showcase Clarke when he’s healthy and trade him for prospects or bullpen help.
I’d show Leiter the door. He hasn’t impressed me at all.
And I’d keep Clarke. When healthy, he’s very good.
I suspect they’ll try to sign Schmidt to a 2 yr rehab contract.