AL East Notes: Gil, Bastardo, Lux
Since the Yankees play only nine games during the season’s first 13 days, manager Aaron Boone announced today (to the Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and other reporters) that the team will use a four-man rotation of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers during this rather staggered portion of the schedule. This leaves Luis Gil in a bit of an awkward spot as an unnecessary fifth starter, though pitching coach Matt Blake suggested that Gil could be used in a piggyback capacity during Weathers’ first outing. It is also possible Gil could be left off New York’s Opening Day roster altogether — he could bide his time in the minors until he’s needed, and the Yankees could use his roster spot on an extra reliever.
After winning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, Gil was limited to 11 starts and 57 innings last season due to a right lat strain. Gil’s peripherals were unimpressive, and his whopping 5.74 SIERA indicates that the right-hander was quite fortunate to manage a 3.32 ERA. The fact that Gil has been relegated to this uncertain role for the start of the season perhaps indicates that the Yankees still have some questions about the righty, though Blake was encouraged by some adjustments Gil made to his release point.
More from around the AL East…
- The Blue Jays‘ bullpen continues to take final form, as manager John Schneider told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae and Shi Davidi) that Tommy Nance will make the team, while Yariel Rodriguez, non-roster invite Jorge Alcala, and Rule 5 Draft pick Angel Bastardo won’t be part of the Opening Day roster. In Bastardo’s case, this means the Jays must offer the right-hander back to the Red Sox, work out a trade with Boston to officially obtain Bastardo’s rights, or perhaps trade Bastardo to another team interested on carrying him on their active roster all season. Bastardo was actually selected in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, but a Tommy John surgery cost him the entire 2025 season and thus Toronto retained his R5 status for the coming season.
- Gavin Lux‘s shoulder remains a bit of a question mark for the Rays as Opening Day looms, though the second baseman was able to return to the lineup for today’s game with the Blue Jays. Lux’s first camp with the Rays was initially slowed by some oblique discomfort, and then a sore throwing shoulder that has limited him to seven Grapefruit League games to date. Manager Kevin Cash told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times and other reporters that due to the “time crunch” created by Thursday’s opener, “we’ve got to get [Lux] going for him to be ready to go.” If Lux needs a 10-day injured list stint to give himself more time to get right, Topkin suggests the Rays could add Richie Palacios to the roster, or perhaps explore the market for a new depth infielder.
Nationals To Acquire Jorbit Vivas
The Nationals are acquiring infielder Jorbit Vivas from the Yankees, according to a report from Andrew Golden of The Baltimore Banner. Pitching prospect Sean Paul Linan is headed back to New York in exchange for Vivas’s services.
Vivas, 25, made his big league debut with the Yankees last year. He hit .161/.266/.250 for the club across 66 plate appearances last year while splitting time between second and third base in a bench role for the club, though there’s reason to believe he’s a good bit better than that small sample might suggest. His xwOBA of .304 is much closer to league average, and a lackluster .190 BABIP surely limited his production in the majors last year. He hit quite well for the Yankees when at Triple-A last season as well, with a .270/.389/.364 (110 wRC+) line in 100 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The youngster is now headed to the Nationals, where he should have a much better opportunity to get playing time at the big league level. With Amed Rosario, Jose Caballero, Ryan McMahon, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all on the roster, Anthony Volpe set to return from the injured list early in the year, and players like Oswaldo Cabrera and Paul DeJong at Triple-A, it seems likely that Vivas would have wound up buried on the Yankees’ infield depth chart this year. There’s no such fear with the Nationals, who are in the midst of a rebuild and will be relying on Brady House, Nasim Nunez, and Jose Tena to cover second and third base with CJ Abrams locking down shortstop.
In return for Vivas’s services, the Yankees pick up the right-handed Linan. The 21-year-old Colombia native signed with the Dodgers as an amateur back in 2022 and was acquired by the Nationals as part of the Alex Call deal at last year’s trade deadline. Linan had an up-and-down season with the Dodgers and Nationals in the minors last year, with a 3.03 ERA across three levels of the minors, but he finished well enough with five innings of one-run ball in the Arizona Fall League. Linan seems likely to begin the 2022 season at Double-A for the Yankees and has served mostly as a starter throughout his career, but the 27th-ranked prospect in the Nationals’ farm per MLB Pipeline lacks a second standout offering to pair with his elite changeup and struggled with control in brief looks at both Triple-A and the AFL. That could portend a move to relief in Linan’s future, which might be able to help him advance to the upper levels of the minors more quickly.
Yankees To Select Randal Grichuk’s Contract
The Yankees will be selecting outfielder Randal Grichuk‘s contract, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including the New York Post’s Greg Joyce) that Grichuk has made the Opening Day roster. New York has a full 40-man roster, so another transaction will be required to add Grichuk before the team’s first game on Wednesday.
In making the team, Grichuk locks in a $2.5MM salary for the 2026 season, as per the terms of the minor league deal he signed last month. Grichuk is an Article XX(B) free agent, meaning that his contract included three standard opt-out dates that he could trigger if not added to the 40-man roster. The first of those opt-outs was set for this weekend, so the Yankees have now sidestepped the issue by adding the outfielder to the 26-man roster.
Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger are set as New York’s starting outfield, and utilityman Amed Rosario and Grichuk now line up as the backup outfield options. (Giancarlo Stanton will probably get some time in the outfield this season, but he will be mostly be utilized as a designated hitter.) Bronx fans may not be pleased at seeing Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones relegated to Triple-A to begin the season, though the Yankees want those prized youngsters playing every day, whereas Grichuk is more suited to the sporadic nature of a big league backup job.
The right-handed hitting Grichuk figures to get most or all of his playing time when a southpaw is on the mound. Grichuk’s numbers against right-handers have tailed off over the years but he remained very dangerous against lefties, apart from a lackluster .227/.273/.430 slash line in 183 PA against left-handers last season when Grichuk was playing with the Diamondbacks and Royals.
Grichuk didn’t erase many doubts this spring by posting only a .313 OPS across 16 plate appearances in Grapefruit League games, but the Yankees are looking past that small sample size (and even the 2025 season) to the 34-year-old’s overall track record. While best suited for a corner outfield role, Grichuk can hold his own as a center fielder, making him a decent choice as a fourth outfielder and a candidate to spell the left-handed hitting Grisham when a lefty is on the mound.
Grichuk will be the only new face in a Yankees position-player mix that is basically unchanged from 2025. Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt were re-signed and will join Grichuk in backup roles, plus Bellinger was re-signed to a five-year, $162.5MM contract and Grisham stayed put by accepting the qualifying offer. Anthony Volpe will begin the season on the injured list, moving Jose Caballero into regular shortstop duty and increasing Rosario’s importance as the backup infielder.
Yankees Option Jasson Domínguez
The Yankees announced a series of camp cuts today, most notably optioning outfielder Jasson Domínguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Relievers Kervin Castro and Yerry De los Santos were also optioned out.
Domínguez opening the season in the minors has been the expectation since camp began. The Yankees retained Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham in free agency. Bellinger signed a five-year deal, while Grisham accepted a qualifying offer. They’re alongside Aaron Judge in what is probably the best outfield in the sport. Giancarlo Stanton is healthy and opening the season at designated hitter, while the Yanks will run a Ben Rice/Paul Goldschmidt platoon at first base.
There simply wasn’t a path to regular playing time for Domínguez. The Yankees are looking for a right-handed bench bat who can platoon with Grisham. Bellinger will primarily play the corners against righty pitching but can slide to center field in Grisham’s place against southpaws.
The switch-hitting Domínguez isn’t suited for that role. He’s much better from the left side, for one, and it’s hardly ideal for his development to work as a short-side platoon bat. Non-roster invitee Randal Grichuk seems the favorite for the last bench spot based on his track record against lefty pitching, even if he hasn’t hit in a minuscule spring sample.
The demotion certainly isn’t in response to Domínguez’s camp performance. He did all he could to try to win a job, batting .325 with three homers and two doubles in 45 plate appearances. He’ll get everyday playing time in Triple-A and will very likely be the first one up if Stanton or any of the regular outfielders suffers an injury.
Spencer Jones is the only other outfielder on the 40-man roster. He’s a good prospect with monster power but struck out at a 35% clip in the minors last season. Domínguez was a league average hitter in the big leagues (.257/.331/.388 over 429 plate appearances) and is a little more than two years younger.
It remains to be seen whether the move will have meaningful service time implications. Domínguez has one year and 130 days of MLB time. He only needs to be on the big league roster for 42 days this year to surpass the two-year threshold and remain on track for free agency after the 2030 season. It seems likely he’ll get there given Stanton’s injury history, in particular.
There may be a less impactful but more immediate service implication, however. If he logged a full service year this season, Domínguez would have been right on the border of the usual Super Two cutoff for early arbitration next winter. Unless he’s recalled by the middle of April, he’s unlikely to have enough time to qualify as a Super Two. That’d keep his 2027 salary close to the league minimum. This will be Domínguez’s second of three option seasons.
Yankees Notes: Weathers, Lagrange
Ryan Weathers was knocked around in today’s Grapefruit League loss. The new Yankees southpaw allowed seven runs on eight hits in three innings. He’s up to 16 earned runs over 12 1/3 frames across four starts this spring.
The struggles haven’t jeopardized Weathers’ hold on a rotation spot. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the lefty will open the season in the starting five (relayed by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Boone noted that he’s more focused on the pitcher’s raw stuff than results in exhibition play.
Despite being hit around, Weathers has shown a promising arsenal. His fastball is up above 98 mph on average, a tick higher than his 97 mph heater during last year’s regular season with Miami. Weathers has picked up 17 strikeouts while missing bats on more than 14% of his offerings. It’s certainly an ugly ERA, but the velocity and whiffs are encouraging.
Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Luis Gil and Weathers will comprise the season-opening rotation. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are each opening on the injured list. Cole threw an inning in his first Spring Training appearance on Wednesday. Rodón hasn’t pitched this spring but could be ready for regular season action by the end of April.
Weathers and Gil each have a minor league option remaining. They’ll have a few starts to try to ensure they stick in the rotation once Rodón and/or Cole are healthy. It’d be crowded if everyone is available, but the Yankees don’t have much experienced depth in the short term. Osvaldo Bido is out of options and could find himself back on waivers next week. Swingmen Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn and prospect Elmer Rodríguez (who has yet to pitch in the big leagues) are the other healthy rotation options on the 40-man roster.
Among the team’s non-roster invitees, no one turned more heads this spring than righty Carlos Lagrange. The 22-year-old fireballer reeled off 13 2/3 innings of one-run ball while recording 13 strikeouts. He was routinely pumping triple digit fastballs with wipeout secondary stuff. There was some thought that Lagrange might even be pitching his way into the Opening Day conversation, but the Yankees reassigned him to minor league camp this afternoon.
Boone acknowledged that Lagrange looked much nearer to MLB readiness than he’d anticipated coming into the spring. “I don’t know if we were ever going to break [camp] with him, but I would say we’ve at least talked about it,” he told Greg Joyce of The New York Post. “What he’s done the last six weeks definitely made us think maybe he’s closer than we think.”
Lagrange’s arsenal would probably play in the big league bullpen already. It’s potential top-of-the-rotation stuff, so the Yankees will continue developing him as a starter in the minors to work on his command. Lagrange was around the zone this spring, only issuing four walks with one hit batter. That’s obviously a small body of work. His strike-throwing has been the big question in the minors. Lagrange walked more than 12% of opponents in his 120 innings between High-A and Double-A last year. He’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft next offseason, and it seems likely he’ll debut at some point this year.
Poll: Who Will Win The AL East?
With Opening Day just around the corner, the offseason is more or less complete for MLB’s 30 clubs and teams are now focused on the incoming season and being the final team standing to raise the Commissioner’s Trophy. Until the playoffs begin, however, teams will be focused on a smaller goal: winning their division. In the run-up to the start of the season, we will be conducting a series of polls to gauge who MLBTR readers believe is the favorite in each division. That series starts today with the AL East. All teams are listed in order of their 2025 regular season record:
Toronto Blue Jays (94-68)
The Blue Jays only narrowly won the AL East last year, with the division coming down to a tiebreaker. They made a much more convincing case for themselves as the top dog in the division come the postseason, however, as they easily dispatched the Yankees in the ALDS and went on to make it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series before losing that final game against the mighty Dodgers by just a hair. They went on to have an aggressive offseason in their efforts to stay at the top of the totem pole. The Jays lost Bo Bichette and Chris Bassitt to free agency, but managed to retain Max Scherzer while adding Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to a rotation that already boasts Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage. Their efforts to improve on the pitching side didn’t ignore the bullpen either, as Tyler Rogers was brought in to support Jeff Hoffman and Louis Varland in the late innings. Losing Bichette certainly hurts for Toronto’s offense, but Kazuma Okamoto figures to be an able replacement as a right-handed bat in the middle of the order, and the team also bolstered their outfield depth with the addition of Jesus Sanchez. Will that be enough to maintain control in the East, or will Toronto brass regret missing out on Bichette and Kyle Tucker this winter?
New York Yankees (94-68)
The Yankees only lost the East by a hair last year. Their plan for this season appears to be running back last year’s squad and hoping that the return of Gerrit Cole can push them over the edge. Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Amed Rosario, Trent Grisham, and Paul Blackburn are all returning via free agency. With that being said, the team didn’t make any significant additions aside from bringing back the old guard when it comes to free agency. Their lone major addition to the roster this offseason was a trade with the Marlins that brought back southpaw Ryan Weathers, who has never thrown even 100 innings in a season but does sport a solid 3.74 ERA across his last 24 outings. That addition to the rotation mix is matched by a substantial loss in the bullpen, however, as both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver eschewed the Bronx in favor of Queens during free agency. Perhaps the additions of Cole (as he returns from a season lost to Tommy John surgery) and Weathers will make up for those losses, but the Yankees will also have to contend with the injury bug; Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Anthony Volpe are all starting the season on the injured list, while Clarke Schmidt is already lost for the year to elbow surgery.
Boston Red Sox (89-73)
The Red Sox certainly had a busy offseason, but it’s not exactly the ones fans were expecting. Alex Bregman is suddenly a Chicago Cub. Both Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu remain with the Red Sox. While the team’s elite outfield remains intact, the infield looks somewhat suspect. The addition of Willson Contreras at first base should provide some reliability that former top prospect Triston Casas has not been able to so far in his career, but the Red Sox will be banking on another solid season from Trevor Story after his bounce-back in 2025 while turning to Marcelo Mayer at second base and Caleb Durbin at third base. All three of those players have the opportunity to be solid, but only Mayer has a ceiling comparable to the impact Bregman offered and fans in Boston need not be reminded of the risks associated with handing the keys to a young player at second base after Kristian Campbell‘s rookie year. On the other hand, the team’s pitching looks better than ever. Garrett Crochet nearly won the Cy Young award last year, and this season he’ll be supported by both Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray to give the Red Sox one of the more impressive potential playoff rotations in the game. Will that be enough to win the AL East this year, given the club’s lack of impact hitting additions?
Tampa Bay Rays (77-85)
The Rays are coming off back-to-back seasons where they finished just a bit below .500. After the rest of the division spent the offseason loading up on talent for the 2026 campaign, a lot will need to go right for the Rays to improve this year. Junior Caminero is a superstar at third base but the losses of Brandon Lowe and Pete Fairbanks figure to be a tough blow this year. In typical Rays fashion, the club’s additions aren’t necessarily impactful on paper. None of Jake Fraley, Gavin Lux, Cedric Mullins, Steven Matz, and Nick Martinez had impact seasons last year but they’ve all shown themselves to be more than capable of being effective major leaguers in the past. Additionally, young pieces like Ryan Pepiot and Carson Williams could plausibly take the sort of step forward Jonathan Aranda did last year, therefore joining Aranda and Yandy Diaz as strong pieces of Caminero’s supporting cast. Will all that be enough to overcome the Rays’ high-spending rivals?
Baltimore Orioles (75-87)
The Orioles had a disaster of a 2025 season but they resolved to fix their flaws in this offseason and made a strong effort to do just that. Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward brought in reliable, right-handed power that a lineup stacked with upside but lacking in floor desperately needed. A revamped rotation featuring not just a healthy Kyle Bradish but also a reunion with Zach Eflin plus the additions of both Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt certainly offers more upside than last year’s group, even if they failed to sign the surefire ace they entered the season widely expected to target. That improved rotation is also being supported by a bullpen that brought back Andrew Kittredge after dealing him away at the trade deadline and added Ryan Helsley in order to replace injured closer Felix Bautista. The bones of a very deep and talented team are clearly present in Baltimore but whether they can rise from fifth in the division all the way to first will surely depend on the health and performance of their core pieces like Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman. Gunnar Henderson remains a good bet to earn himself MVP votes but will the rest of that elite group of youngsters be able to start to catch up to him?
After a busy offseason all around the AL East, which team is most likely to come out on top this year? Will the Blue Jays hold on after their near-miss at a championship last season? Will the Yankees be able to get better results with the same roster? Will the Red Sox or Orioles be able to make an unorthodox offseason into a success despite notable misses on some stated goals for the winter? Or will the Rays once again work the magic that’s made them so successful in the past and surprise the league? Have your say in the poll below:
Who will win the AL East in 2026?
Paul DeJong Not Planning To Opt Out Of Yankees Deal
Infielder Paul DeJong does not plan to opt out of his minor league deal with the Yankees this week, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. He will stick with the Yanks and try to earn a roster spot. If he doesn’t get a spot on the Opening Day roster, he’ll report to Triple-A.
DeJong is one of several veterans with opt-out chances this week. Article XX(B) free agents, which is a designation applying mostly to guys with at least six years of service who finished the previous season on a major league roster, get three uniform opt-out dates in any minor league deal signed at least ten days prior to Opening Day. Those chances are five days before Opening Day, May 1st and June 1st.
The 32-year-old DeJong had to settle for a minor league deal after a frustrating season in 2025. He signed a $1MM major league deal with the Nats and started out as their third baseman but got hit in the face by a Mitch Keller fastball a few weeks into the season. He suffered a broken nose and was on the injured list for almost three months. He finished the season with a .228/.269/.373 line.
He didn’t get a major league roster spot this winter but is in a relatively decent spot to get one in the future. In the short term, the Yankees are fairly light on the left side of the infield. Anthony Volpe is recovering from shoulder surgery and is going to start the season on the injured list. José Caballero will cover that shortstop with Ryan McMahon at third. Amed Rosario is the backup infielder. Rosario has shortstop experience but only played two innings there last year. It seems possible that McMahon is effectively the backup shortstop.
Oswaldo Cabrera is on the roster but the Yanks might decide to send him to the minors, either on optional assignment or as part of a rehab assignment. Cabrera missed most of last season due to an ankle injury that required surgery. He is healthy now and has played in five Grapefruit League games so far. He could be on the big league bench but there’s also an argument for getting regular reps in the minors after so much missed time. Max Schuemann is on the roster but has options and hit .197/.295/.273 last year, so he’s likely ticketed for a depth role. Jorbit Vivas is also on the 40-man but he’s out of options and may get squeezed off.
Until Volpe gets healthy, DeJong has a chance to position himself to be the first man up if something happens to Caballero, McMahon or Rosario. Zack Short, Braden Shewmake and Jonathan Ornelas are also in the organization on minor league deals but DeJong has a far longer track record than any one of them.
It’s possible things change in the next few weeks. As mentioned, Cabrera is already back on the field. Volpe is expected to be back in the mix fairly early in the season. If a month of the campaign passes and DeJong feels he has been pushed down the depth chart, perhaps he would give more thought to opting out on May 1st.
Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Yankees Notes: Cole, Rodón, McMahon
It’s been 371 days since Yankees ace Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery, and the wait to see him back on a mound seems to be over. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Cole will start tomorrow’s Grapefruit League game for the Yankees. He’s slated to pitch one inning in his return to game action.
An exact return timetable for Cole remains unclear. The 35-year-old is still a lock to open the season on the injured list. Even if tomorrow’s one inning goes off without a hitch, he’ll need further time to build up to a starter’s workload. That can’t be accomplished in the final week of spring training, but it’s at least feasible that if Cole is ready to throw an inning in a game right now, he could return to the Yankees in late April.
Cole didn’t pitch at all in 2025 after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament last spring and undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 11. Elbow troubles also limited him to 17 starts (95 innings) in 2024. He hasn’t had a full, health seasons since 2023 — though that proved to be quite the year; Cole tossed 209 innings with a 2.63 ERA, made his sixth All-Star team and won his first Cy Young Award. There’s no telling to how his elbow will respond to tomorrow’s more intense setting until he takes the bump, but the fact that he’s doing so a week before the Yankees even open their season is an encouraging development for Yankee fans.
There’s also good news on the team’s other high-priced but injured starter. Carlos Rodón underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow back in October. Manager Aaron Boone said when camp opened that the big lefty could be back before the end of April. Those comments came nearly a month ago, but it appears Rodón is still on that same track. Boone told reporters this morning that he expects Rodón back “at some point in April,” via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Boone did not commit to the left-hander pitching in a game before spring training ends but also didn’t rule it out. He’s slated for a live batting practice session this week.
Rodón, 33, pitched 195 1/3 innings with a 3.09 earned run average last season. He stepped up in a big way following Cole’s injury, as both that innings count and his 33 games started were career-high marks. Rodón’s injury history is well known, and October’s surgery is the latest data point on his track record, but the 2024-25 seasons marked the first time in Rodon’s career that he started 30-plus games in back-to-back seasons. He’s a long shot to make it three in a row this year, but if he can return in April and remains healthy, he won’t be too far shy of 30 starts.
Good news notwithstanding, the Yankees will open the season with two of their “big three” free agent starters on the shelf. The third, left-hander Max Fried, will get the ball on Opening Day against Giants ace Logan Webb in San Francisco next Wednesday. He’ll be followed in some order by Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren and offseason trade acquisition Ryan Weathers. All four members of that quartet have minor league options remaining, so their performances both late in camp and early in the season will be worth watching with a close eye. By early May, it’s possible that two of those younger, less-established arms will have been optioned to Triple-A (assuming good health throughout the group — which is never a given).
On the position side of things, Boone confirmed today that he’d be comfortable with Ryan McMahon playing shortstop in a regular season game (via Kirschner). The 31-year-old is slated to open the season at third base but has been getting reps at shortstop throughout camp. He’s one of the game’s better defenders at the hot corner, and it seems he’s shown enough this spring to gain Boone’s trust as a backup option.
McMahon isn’t going to start at shortstop with any regularity, but his ability to at least capably handle that position in a pinch is notable. Anthony Volpe will begin the season on the injured list following offseason shoulder surgery, paving the way for José Caballero to start at shortstop early in the year. Light-hitting utilityman Max Schuemann is the only real shortstop option on the 40-man roster beyond McMahon, so McMahon’s ability to function as Caballero’s backup impacts the composition of the club’s bench.
Backup catcher J.C. Escarra, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and veteran infielder Amed Rosario are all locked into bench spots. Rosario was a shortstop earlier in his career but rated poorly there and played only two shortstop innings last year and 101 the year prior.
If not McMahon, the Yankees might have felt they needed Schuemann or a non-roster invitee like Jonathan Ornelas, Zack Short or veteran Paul DeJong on the bench. All four have had decent or better spring showings. McMahon serving as Caballero’s primary backup option gives Boone and GM Brian Cashman some more flexibility when deciding on the final spot, however. That could pave the way for non-roster pickup Randal Grichuk to make the club and serve as a righty-swinging complement to Trent Grisham, who batted .182/.303/.348 against lefties even during 2025’s breakout year.
Yankees’ Brock Selvidge Undergoes UCL Surgery
Yankees prospect Brock Selvidge underwent an internal brace procedure on his left elbow and will miss the 2026 season as a result, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.
Selected by the Yankees with their third-round pick back in 2021, the now-23-year-old Selvidge isn’t on the team’s 40-man roster and went unclaimed in December’s Rule 5 Draft. He was still a candidate to make his big league debut at some point in 2026, having gone through a second stint at Double-A in 2025, where he logged a 4.68 ERA, an 18.9% strikeout rate and a 12.2% walk rate. He tossed two scoreless spring innings with a 4-to-1 K/BB ratio.
Baseball America ranked Selvidge 12th among Yankees farmhands heading into the 2026 season, labeling him a potential fourth or fifth starter who sports a five-pitch arsenal that includes an average or better four-seamer, cutter and sweeper.
Injuries aren’t necessarily new for Selvidge. He was named to the 2024 roster for the Futures Game, held annually during the MLB All-Star break, but had to pull out of the event due to a pinched nerve in his left biceps. He’d worked to a 3.25 ERA with a 24.6% strikeout rate in his first dozen starts that year but was rocked for 17 runs over his final 21 innings (7.29 ERA) before landing on the injured list in early July. He wound up requiring surgery in Sept. 2024 and was out until late May last season while recovering.
The 2026 season will be Selvidge’s third straight year in which an arm injury has limited his workload. By the time he’s cleared to throw off a mound in 2027, he’ll be facing a three-year period where he’s thrown 167 2/3 innings despite regularly working as a starting pitcher.
Selvidge isn’t on the major league roster, so he won’t land on the 60-day IL and accrue big league service or pay. He wasn’t likely to be an early-season option anyhow, but he’s now out of the running for a look later this summer
The Yankees already have Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt opening the season on the injured list. Veterans Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn give the Yankees a pair of swing options behind Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, Luis Gil and Will Warren, and out-of-options DFA pickup Osvaldo Bido gives them a third candidate for such a role. Young righties Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange are among the top pitching prospects in the sport and could debut in 2026 as well.
Offseason In Review: New York Yankees
The Yankees mostly opted for the status quo, as their 2026 club will look a lot like the 2025 version. A few small differences could take them up a notch.
Major League Signings
- OF Cody Bellinger: Five years, $162.5MM (includes opt-outs after 2027 and 2028, $20MM signing bonus)
- OF Trent Grisham: One year, $22.025MM (accepted qualifying offer)
- 1B Paul Goldschmidt: One year, $4MM
- LHP Ryan Yarbrough: One year, $2.5MM
- IF/OF Amed Rosario: One year, $2.5MM
- RHP Paul Blackburn: One year, $2MM
2026 spending: $85.525MM
Total spending: $195.525MM
Trades and Claims
- Selected RHP Cade Winquest from the Cardinals in Rule 5 draft
- Claimed RHP Kaleb Ort off waivers from Angels (later lost to Angels via waivers)
- Acquired LHP Ryan Weathers from Marlins for OF Dillon Lewis, OF Brendan Jones, IF Dylan Jasso, IF Juan Matheus
- Claimed OF Marco Luciano off waivers from Orioles (later outrighted)
- Claimed OF Michael Siani off waivers from Dodgers (later lost back to Dodgers via waivers)
- Claimed RHP Dom Hamel off waivers from Rangers (later outrighted)
- Acquired RHP Angel Chivilli from Rockies for 1B T.J. Rumfield
- Traded LHP Jayvien Sandridge to Angels for cash considerations
- Claimed OF Yanquiel Fernández off waivers from Rockies (later outrighted)
- Claimed RHP Osvaldo Bido off waivers from Angels
- Acquired IF Max Schuemann from Athletics for RHP Luis Burgos
Option Decisions
- OF Cody Bellinger declined $25MM player option in favor of $5MM buyout (later re-signed)
- Team exercised $3MM club option on LHP Tim Hill
- Team declined $5MM club option on RHP Jonathan Loáisiga
Notable Minor League Signings
- Rafael Montero, Randal Grichuk, Paul DeJong, Seth Brown, Jonathan Ornelas, Michael Arias, Yerry Rodríguez, Ali Sánchez, Zack Short, Adam Kloffenstein, Payton Henry, Dylan Coleman
Extensions
- None to date
Notable Losses
- Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Jonathan Loáisiga, Austin Slater, Mark Leiter Jr. (non-tendered), Scott Effross (non-tendered), Ian Hamilton (non-tendered), Jake Cousins (non-tendered, still unsigned), Allan Winans (signed with NPB club)
There was a lot to like about the Yankees in 2025, but they came up just a bit short of the ultimate goal. They won 94 games in the regular season, the same as the Blue Jays, with Toronto only taking the division title based on the tiebreaker rules. The Yanks got a Wild Card spot and took out the Red Sox but were felled by the Jays in the Division Series.
Going into the 2025-26 offseason, a lot of the key pieces would be remaining in place. The area with the greatest potential for change was the outfield, which was a strength in 2025. Aaron Judge won his third American League MVP Award. Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham enjoyed productive seasons (a breakout, career-best year in the latter’s case). Grisham and Bellinger both headed to free agency at the start of the offseason, the latter by triggering an opt-out in his previous contract.
Theoretically, the Yankees could have turned to some internal replacements, but there would be big risks there. Jasson Domínguez had an uneven year in 2025. His offense was passable but not too exciting. In 429 plate appearances, he hit just ten home runs. A 9.6% walk rate helped his on-base percentage, leading to a .257/.331/.388 line and 103 wRC+. He stole 23 bases but received awful grades for his left field defense. His minus-7 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-10 Outs Above Average were some of the lowest among big league outfielders.
There’s also Spencer Jones, who crushed 35 home runs on the farm last year, including 19 at Triple-A. However, he posted those homers while striking out in 35.4% of his plate appearances. Presumably, he’d strike out even more frequently against better competition in the big leagues. No qualified major leaguer struck out at a higher rate than 32.3% in 2025.
With some questions about both Domínguez and Jones, and the Yankees always in win-now mode, it seemed like the outfield would be a priority. One spot was quickly filled, as Grisham somewhat surprisingly accepted the qualifying offer. His career had been unimpressive prior to 2025, but the breakout was extreme. He hit 34 home runs and drew walks at a 14.1% clip. Grisham’s .235/.348/.464 line led to a 129 wRC+. His defensive grades slipped, but he was considered a strong fielder in every other season of his career, so it’s possible last year’s downturn was more of an odd, one-year blip than a true decline.
Skeptics could point to Grisham’s larger body of work, with a .191/.298/.353 line over the previous three seasons combined, but there were reasons to believe Grisham could cash in on that strong season. Just one offseason earlier, Jurickson Profar had done precisely that. After years of subpar performances, Profar parlayed his strong 2024 season into a three-year, $42MM deal with Atlanta. Grisham went into free agency younger and with a better defensive reputation, so he had a case to top Profar’s guarantee.
MLBTR predicted Grisham could get $66MM over four years, even with the QO attached, but he decided to return to the Bronx for just one year at $22.025MM. A multi-year deal at that same annual value may not have been there, but a three- or four-year deal at a lighter rate with a larger overall guarantee seems like it would have been feasible. Grisham would be a bargain for the Yankees if he can come anywhere close to last year’s performance, and doing so would position him for a major contract next winter.
With Grisham back in the fold, the Yankees still had one outfield spot to consider. They were connected to various names both in free agency and via trade, including Kyle Tucker, Luis Robert Jr. and others, but a reunion with Bellinger always made a lot of sense. He had thrived in his one year in the Bronx. Bellinger hit .272/.334/.480 for a 125 wRC+ on the year overall but with a massive .302/.365/.544 line and 152 wRC+ when playing in Yankee Stadium with its short porch.
The two seemed a perfect match for each other, but the courting process dragged out nonetheless. Bellinger remained on the open market into January. Reports trickled out indicating that the Yankees had made him an offer, then another. There was reportedly an impasse, with the Yankees offering five years and Bellinger seeking a longer deal, but the two sides finally reached an agreement in late January.
The $162.5MM guarantee and five-year term were within the realm of expectations. MLBTR had predicted five years and a slightly lesser guarantee of $140MM. The Bellinger deal was particularly notable for being frontloaded and having two opt-outs. He’ll get a $20MM signing bonus and big salaries of $32.5MM in the first two years, followed by salaries just under $26MM in the final three. Since he can opt out after 2027 and 2028, it’s possible for him to bank $85MM in the first two years and then return to the open market after his age-31 season. The nature of that deal means that Bellinger’s hit for the competitive balance tax will be higher than usual.
After Bellinger was back in the fold, there was some speculation that Domínguez and/or Jones could end up on the trade block. To this point, however, there hasn’t been any strong indications that the Yankees have considered that route. With Grisham only signed for one more year and Bellinger potentially opting out after 2027, there are future opportunities available for those youngsters.
Though the outfield was the main target, the rotation needed some consideration as well. The Yankees will be getting Gerrit Cole back at some point in 2026, after he spent 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he still won’t be ready by Opening Day. They will also be without Carlos Rodón to start the season, as he had surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. Clarke Schmidt had UCL surgery in July of last year and will begin the season on the shelf as well.
The Yanks were connected to some big names over the winter, including Framber Valdez, Edward Cabrera, Michael King, Freddy Peralta, Tatsuya Imai and MacKenzie Gore. Their rotation strike ended up being less splashy than those options. They sent four prospects to the Marlins to acquire lefty Ryan Weathers.
Weathers was once a notable prospect and has shown some flashes of potential in the majors, but not over a long sample size. He had good results with the Marlins in 2024 and 2025 but some injuries limited him in both seasons. He tossed 125 innings over those two campaigns and produced a 3.74 earned run average, 22% strikeout rate, 6.8% walk rate and 45.6% ground ball rate.
A more proven arm could have been preferable, but a nice benefit of Weathers is that he’s controlled for three more years and still has an option remaining. He should get a rotation job alongside Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Luis Gil to start the season. Like Weathers, each of Schlittler, Warren and Gil can be optioned. A stint in the minors for someone in that group is possible if everyone is healthy when Rodón and Cole return. In the meantime, the Yanks also brought back Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn to serve as veteran swingmen.
Paul Goldschmidt became a free agent after the 2025 season, but first base wasn’t a big priority since Ben Rice took over that job. The Yanks were able to bring Goldy back on a modest $4MM deal, seemingly to serve a more complementary role this time. His bat was around league average in 2025, but he still crushed lefties. Since the Yankee lineup skews left-handed, there’s a role for Goldschmidt. Amed Rosario was also brought back for similar reasons and the Yanks also added Randal Grichuk via a minor league deal.
In the bullpen, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver became free agents after 2025, but the Yankees seemingly tried to address those departures proactively. At the 2025 deadline, their three relief additions were David Bednar, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. Since all three would still be under club control for 2026, the Yanks may have felt less pressure to replace Williams and Weaver this winter.
Their most notable bullpen move was fairly modest, as they acquired Angel Chivilli from the Rockies. He is still unproven, with a 6.18 ERA in 90 1/3 innings. The Yanks will hope that getting him away from Coors Field will help. He has an intriguing arsenal with high-90s velocity and strong ground ball rates. Chivilli isn’t slated for free agency for at least five years and still has an option remaining. The Yanks also took a shot on Cade Winquest in the Rule 5 draft. He had a 3.99 ERA in the minors last year.
There was some chatter around Jazz Chisholm Jr. this offseason. Since he’s slated for free agency after 2026, there were some trade rumors and the possibility of an extension also came up. It never seemed especially likely that the Yanks would move on from him, and he indeed is still on the roster. The Yankees don’t do many extensions and still haven’t done anything with Chisholm, though he has said he’s open the possibility. It’s theoretically possible for momentum to build at any time, but Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported this week that substantive talks have still not occurred.
Ultimately, the roster is going to look very similar to last year’s. Shortstop Anthony Volpe will miss some time due to offseason shoulder surgery but could rejoin the club in April. José Caballero will cover that spot in the interim. Apart from that, the position player group is essentially identical. There’s a bit more change on the pitching side, but the staff is also going to have a lot of continuity.
There’s not really anything wrong with that. The Yankees were one of the best teams in the league last year. Running back mostly the same squad should put them in position to be really good again. It’s also possible they could be a bit better. They will get Cole back at some point, which should give them a boost, and they’ll get a full season from Schlittler, who just debuted last July. If Weathers can stay healthy, he’s another potential bonus. If there are obvious shortcomings on display in the next few months, the Yanks could address those at the deadline, but for now the roster has been tweaked more so than overhauled.
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Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images