Should The New York Yankees Really Sit Out Free Agency?

The buzz around the offseason is that the New York Yankees will not be major players in free agency, something that has become a theme in recent years, outside of the offseasons following the 2008 and 2013 seasons.

Brian Cashman has shown an ability to make trades for young, controllable players to upgrade the roster, and for as much heat as he takes year round, he is a very solid GM. Unfortunately for Cashman, fans expect World Series titles every year, and those lofty expectations are unreasonable.

In years which the Yankees don’t win the World Series, fans expect the organization to sign every big name free-agent available, even though we have seen that those contracts rarely work out. The question which I must ask is should the Yankees actually sit out this years strong free-agent class?

More from Yankees News

While some within the organization believe it is the right thing to do, and that big contracts should only be given when money is coming off the books, this years free-agent class should be an exception. The Yankees only had three contracts come off the books this season, and outside of a Brett Gardner trade, there isn’t much roster flexibility to shed more salary.

Both 2016 and 2017 will be much different as many of the big contracts will be replaced by young, inexpensive players. While those years would be ideal for the organization to spend money, there will not be as many high-impact free-agents that will be worth the contracts, and in years with weak free-agent classes, teams generally overpay to fill needs.

Adding Jason Heyward would be the ideal move, as he is only 26, plays great defense, and is a very solid hitter. Playing 81 games with the short right field porch in Yankee Stadium could lead to his power numbers increasing to the type that are expected from a corner outfielder.

While Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, or Carlos Beltran will have to be traded for the Yankees to sign Heyward, a move to clear up a spot in the outfield, combined with the three salaries that came off the books, would mean that the Yankees are spending just about the same amount in 2016 as 2015.

Cashman should also look to sign David Price or Zack Greinke to bolster the rotation. Even if Gardner is traded for a starting pitcher, Price or Greinke should still be a target. While both are over the age of 30, both are still dominant pitchers, and both finished as Cy Young runner-ups in their respective leagues.

Adding Heyward, and either Price or Greinke, while making a trade to clear an outfield spot, would result in a salary gain in 2016, and thus Hal Steinbrenner will pay a higher luxury tax, but with the money coming off the books after the season, that number will decrease in 2017.

Steinbrenner and Cashman have both stated that they are attempting to lower the luxury tax, but this offseason just isn’t the year to do that, as there are too many great free-agents on the market for the Yankees to avoid giving out large contracts.

Next: New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians Discuss Brett Gardner

More from Yanks Go Yard

Home/Yankees News