Yankees Fans: Mark These Important Offseason Dates on Your Calendars

Important Dates in December

December 1: The current CBA expires. The new deal could have major ramifications for the Yankees’ future plans, as both a possible international draft and a new luxury tax ceiling figure to be addressed.

December 4-8: Watch Yanks Go Yard closely on these days as there are always a ton of trades and signings made during the annual Winter Meetings, which will be held this year in National Harbor, Maryland. During last year’s meetings, the Yankees completed two major trades, bringing in Starlin Castro from the Cubs, as well as Luis Cessa and Chad Green from the Tigers.

December 8th: The Winter Meetings wraps up with the Rule 5 draft. The Yankees are unlikely to have the roster space to make any additions because of their crowded 40-man roster. Far more likely the organization will lose one or more players that they don’t have room to protect. Last year, both Evan Rutckyj and Jake Cave were each selected and subsequently returned.

New York has already revealed that catcher Kyle Higashioka will be protected following his breakout 2016 campaign, but other notable players who could be left exposed to the Rule 5 include Cave (again), Dietrich Enns, Tyler Webb, Giovanny Gallegos, Luis Torrens, Mike Ford, and Cito Culver. Top prospects like Jorge Mateo, Domingo Acevedo, and Miguel Andujar are expected to be protected this winter.