Spring training games have begun but further roster tweaks are still possible. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reports that the Yankees are still open to adding a right-handed-hitting outfielder or catcher. Sherman mentions the club’s previously-reported interest in players like Randal Grichuk, Austin Slater and Chas McCormick. Grichuk is still a free agent. Slater and McCormick are in camp with other clubs on minor league deals, Slater with the Tigers and McCormick with the Cubs.
The Yankees have a lefty-heavy lineup, with six of their projected regulars swinging from that side. The three righties are right fielder Aaron Judge, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and shortstop José Caballero. The lefies are center fielder Trent Grisham, left fielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Ben Rice, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., third baseman Ryan McMahon and catcher Austin Wells.
The Yanks do have a couple of righties to complement that group, with Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario projected to be on the bench. It would be nice to add even more coverage from the other side of the plate, especially with Goldschmidt only capable of playing first base.
Jasson Domínguez is a switch-hitter and could be the fourth outfielder but, given his youth, the Yankees should prioritize him getting regular playing time in the minors as opposed to being on the big league bench in a part-time role. He’s better from the left side of the plate regardless. Oswaldo Cabrera is a switch-hitter but he’s also better as a lefty bat. It’s also unclear if he’ll be fully recovered from last year’s ankle surgery by Opening Day. He and Domínguez both have options and could be sent to Triple-A.
The club currently projects to have J.C. Escarra, another lefty, as the backup catcher. He still has options, so it’s possible for the Yanks to add a righty-swinging catcher and bump Escarra to Triple-A. Sherman also wonders if the Yanks would be willing to ride with Rice as the backup catcher, but that seems highly unlikely with Rice slated to be the regular at first. There aren’t a lot of free agents left at this part of the calendar. Christian Vázquez is available and hits from the right side but he doesn’t have strong platoon splits in his career.
It’s possible that more guys shake loose as Opening Day nears. Some players on minor league deals with other teams won’t break camp, which could lead to those players opting out or being released. Fringe roster players might end up on waivers.
The Yanks may be hoping for that path on the outfield side. Their interest in Grichuk hasn’t yet resulted in a deal. Slater and McCormick still don’t have roster spots and could end up available in the coming weeks. Slater has default opt-outs in his deal since he was an Article XX(b) free agent, which means he finished last year on a big league roster and had at least six years of service time. He can opt out five days prior to Opening Day, May 1st or June 1st. Detroit’s Opening Day is March 26th, so that opt-out should come on March 21st.
The Tigers project for a lefty-heavy outfield mix consisting of Riley Greene, Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter. When Carpenter is in the designated hitter spot, switch-hitting Wenceel Pérez should step in. Slater’s righty bat would fit well in there but the Tigers already have Matt Vierling and Jahmai Jones on the roster. Slater was briefly with the Yankees in 2025 but injuries prevented him from making notable contributions.
McCormick would not have uniform opt-outs in his deal because he was not an Article XX(b) free agent. He has less than five years of big league service. He became a free agent because he was outrighted off Houston’s roster at the end of the season. As a player with at least three years of service time, he had the right to become a free agent and exercised that right.
Though he wasn’t guaranteed any opt-outs, Sherman notes that McCormick did get one put into his minor league deal with the Cubs for March 21st. Chicago projects for a starting outfield of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. McCormick could push for a fourth outfielder job but the Cubs also added Michael Conforto on a minor league deal this week, giving McCormick more competition.
Photo courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images
Bob Cerv available?
I’m happy Chazzy didn’t go to NYY
What happened to him? OPS dropped .200 from his first 3 years compared to his last 2. Shoulder injury?
I dunno, he just… fell off.
Alex Verdugo, Andrew McCutchen, Jason Hayward to name a few.
Well 2 of those are lefty hitters
McCutchen can still play a decent corner outfield position and he’s a right-handed bat that can still hit for a decent slash line. Grichuk has always hit the Yankees hard, don’t know how much he has left in the tank but neither of these guys will be expensive.
Starling Marte? Haven’t heard one word about this guy all winter but he can still hit and maybe field
I wouldn’t mind any of these guys tbh especially Marte.
Tommy Pham is still available, just thought of him now.
Yanks’ fans loved Cutch for the two months he played with them. I know I did. Would have preferred him over Goldy. Not sure I want two 40-year olds with limited abilities beyond the short side of a platoon bat though
I think McCutchen’s done. He’s pushing 40.
Starling Marte would be a perfect clubhouse guy. The problem is that he actually holds guys accountable
I think the Yankees are fine in that dept. with Judge, Cole, Belli, and Goldy.
Well they signed Randall Grichuk so we were both wrong lol
I’ve been called that before. Lol. I still think Grichuk gets released by Opening Day.
“I love the smell of lumber in the morning.”
Burning lumber, even. Like the batting greats said they could smell after getting a hold of one.
Very true.
OMG, most ridiculous “give the Yankee fans a story” piece I’ve ever seen.
Team has Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton among others, along with lefty-mashers Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario on the bench and yet we’re told they’re “short” on the right-handed side of the equation.
I suspect at least 20 other clubs with far greater problems finding RHH are rolling their eyes at the notion the Yankees are “unbalanced.” Good grief.
Might be concerned about what the O’s are going to do to LHP this year.
It’s Joel Sherman. Stay tuned tomorrow for a Paul Skenes trade piece.
Sherman is an obvious Mets fan who writes for a tabloid, & he takes whatever opportunities to write about what’s wrong with the Yankees, because that’s how tabloids roll. Write bad things about the most popular things in the city in which it’s printed, so people will get hyped about the headlines and talk about the rag. It’s the only way they can sell ad space.
They invented click-bait before the internet, and that’s what they called it, “tabloid headlines.”
lay off the sauce, Skenes isn’t going anywhere this year
There’s a valid reason why the Pirates wanted to improve their offense this year
Paul Skenes
The point was that Skenes isn’t getting traded. The point is that Joel Sherman is a bad reporter. Get it now?
Odd take. Literally 6 out of the 9 starters range from terrible to below average against lefties. Stanton will miss 75+ games. Bellinger, a lefty, had a career year vs lefties. Is he guaranteed to repeat that?
By the way, who’s the 4th OF for the team? Jdom shouldn’t be relegated to part time duty. Starting twice a week is not good for him. He also is putrid against lefties.
Team needs a 4th OF. So, no, this isn’t a “give the fans a story piece”
JDom is literally the fourth outfielder. He turned 23 two weeks ago. He’ll get more reps when Grish is gone next season.
That is not a guarantee.
Brian Cashman said this ten days ago:
When asked about Dominguez, Cashman said, “I would concede it’s in his best interest to be getting everyday reps.”
So how is Jdom going to get “everyday reps” when Belli, Judge, Stanton and Grish are all healthy?
It’s very much up in the air right now whether Jdom makes the team. I don’t know why you are so definitive with your statement that he’s the 4th OF.
Because he stayed up all of last year and Cashman hasn’t tried to trade him this offseason while allowing him to play winterball.
He started last season as the starting everyday LF. Once Grisham took over as the full time CF and leadoff hitter and once Rice became the cog in the lineup he was, Jdom went to the bench.
There’s nothing wrong with sending Jdom down to start the year in the minors. Get everyday reps. And be the first in line when the inevitable Stanton (or other OF) injury pops up.
You guarantee Jdom is the 4th OF to start the season. The comments from the literal GM himself says that’s no guarantee…
They ideally need a 4th OF who can hit lefties. Jdom is most certainly not that
I’m with ya that the best thing to do is send JDom down to get regular reps but I’ve followed this team long enough that I’m confident to say that is not what Cashman will do. I hope you’re right and that I’m wrong.
@billy09
Riiiiight. Most teams in baseball are awful against LHP, most RHH included. That you actually believe the Yankees are distinct in this regard only demonstrates your New York myopia. Get a grip, the Yankees are fine.
Where did I say the Yankees are “distinct” in this? Weird flex, pal. The Yankees GM himself has publicly said the team needs to improve the bench against RH. You act like I’m making things up…
Not really… we shouldnt go back with only Left hitting catchers again.
Cut Wells and make Ali Sanchez the primary catcher. Problem solved. Or even better Wells for Hayden Senger or Kevin Parada. Amazing catchers that hit right handed. Fair deal. Parada is young as well with plenty of service time available.
Platoon? Look no further than Private First Class Gomer Pyle.
Cutch is the obvious answer here. Hopefully he’s moved past seeing himself as more than a platoon bat.
Id be happy with mccutch as the 4th OF
@ sand lot and ghost
Have you been paying attention to how much time Cutch has spent in the OF the last few years? Very, very little. About par with how much Stanton has played the OF. The best option for a 4th OF is an OF, not a DH.
Wilmer!
Trade Dominguez only makes sense, would be great to get a solid catcher and relievers.
You’ll get a bag of balls. But hey, the Yankees don’t have any, so it’s probably a good return.
lololol gotta love the new cheapskate Yankees pretending to want to compete. “Still open” after anyone of value is gone. And then “aw shucks we tried but nobody was out there” quotes should be coming soon.
I wonder if they are going to start offering less years and AAV like the Pirates do to pretend like they are actually trying to make the team better.
Just curious here, who did you wanted signed?
I’m not Y4L22, nor complaining, (really), but I understand people who think Bellinger should have been swapped out for Tucker. I also understand people who want a Chisholm extension, even if that’s not how the team typically rolls, (especially in the middle infield).
What it took to get TO the WS was a consistent bat hitting in front of Judge, in the form of Soto. Bellinger isn’t Soto, he’s just as streaky as everyone else on the team but Judge. Tucker comes pretty close to Soto’s talent level, and would provide a better shot…
But in truth, there’s really no point in trying to compete until someone reins in the Dodgers’ deferrals, which should happen in the next baseball that gets played after the CBA is negotiated.
Hello Doug… Imo the problem with Tucker is his glove and position. He is an avg RF and below in CF / LF. Yankee stadium LF is death valley, almost as big as CF in most stadiums. Tucker imo meant Judge at CF and Im done playing guys out of position unless its an emergency. (Thats why Soto pushed Judge, LF would have crushed him in yankee stadium)
Dodgers told us clearly in 2024, “talent over fundamentals”, so Tucker didnt fit unless you wanted a flashy name. Ask the mets trying to fit Bo at 3B.
Regarding Jazz, i love him, but if we can land Hoerner next offseason, I wont feel sad nor broken.
For a platoon role? Mullins, Adonis Garcia, Josh Bell, Kim, Willi Castro, Bader, Arraez, Ozuna would’ve been options if they were considering legit platoon/utility players.
Where are they going to platoon any further anyway? Only spot left is really an outfield bat. Incoming Verdugo or Tommy Pham if they are serious. I’d rather give a young guy a shot.
Im liking this kid Corona. So far He has done everything right. Did you see Grichuk got a ST invitation?
Any thoughts on a right hitting backup catcher?
I know he’s a lefty, but is Spencer Jones not in the picture for ‘26?
I think he’s in the picture as the 5th OF. More than one starting OF would need to get hurt for Jones to see significant time this year
Sign Cutch, great teammate and platoon player. Plus he’s already been a Yankee
I’d sign Willem Defoe but he might be shot by now
I don’t know how well he’d run since Antichrist
Nobody rides for free in the Bronx… I like Austin Wells’ chances of a bounce back offensive campaign right out of the gate. If the strategy is to add Escarra into the mix to spell Wells, it’s essentially unchanged from last season. If the yanks are resigned to getting minimal offensive production from the position then they most likely are content with giving both plenty of room to get going with their LH bats. Failure to launch is most likely setting up a mid-season trade scenario. Hopefully all’s Wells ends Wells…
I think you’ll find that most websites don’t care about a typo or two.
Great catch.
Sign Angel Berroa.