Yankees: 3 moves that will make NYY a dynasty again

3. Sign DJ LeMahieu to a Multi-Year Deal

This one is a no-brainer. The Yanks originally signed the former Colorado Rockie D.J. LeMahieu, who turned 32 last month, to a two-year deal for a “measly” $24 million. His contract is now up after 2020. It is unbelievable that no other club attempted to sign him for the same amount; lots of GMs must be kicking themselves in the you-know-where right now.

He flew under the radar then, and the Bombers wisely grabbed him. The word is out now, and this time he will cost a lot of dough ($20 million a year or more over four or more years). Hopefully, the Yanks will open their checkbook wide and sign him.

I don’t have to list all of his hitting accomplishments since coming over to New York for Bomber fans, but his incredible ability to consistently drive home men on base, his versatility, and solid play in the field all justify his high future salary. These attributes alone are worth the high price to retain him.

But there is something else about him that is an extra important benefit and seals the deal: his character. He is a true team player and has a valuable clubhouse presence. There is no phoniness or aloofness about him. He simply goes out every day, does his job, and roots for his teammates to succeed.

Baseball dynasties are not comprised only of excellent players. They also include people who are not only future Hall of Famers, but who also have outstanding character and generate positive team chemistry, which are important ingredients for winning.

2. Yankees Rotation Solidification

If the Yanks are going to become a dynasty, they will need to have lights out starting pitching. Cole is now the anchor of the starting rotation. Luis Severino is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery performed on February 27. It normally takes between 12 and 16 months to recover, and Sevy could be back pitching as early as April or May, and more likely at the All-Star break next year for the Yanks.

Domingo German, who is serving a suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy, should be ready to pitch at the beginning of next season. He will likely be slotted in the third spot in the rotation (whenever Sevy is back) after his impressive performance in 2019, when he was 20-11 with a 4.52 ERA. He’s struck out 273 batters in 243 career innings pitched.

Thus, once everyone is back and healthy, the Bombers will have three aces ready to throw at the opposition during the season and, importantly, when the playoffs start. What about the fourth and fifth positions in the starting rotation?

James Paxton is a prime candidate to be retained for the fourth spot among the starters, and he could be slotted in the No. 3 position if German has to battle rust upon his return. Paxton was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA and struck out 186 batters in 150 innings pitched in 2019. However, the velocity on his fastball is down, and he has struggled a bit out of the starting gate in the pandemic shortened 2020 season following back surgery. This will surely impact his free agency, and may lead towards the Yankees snagging him at an unexpected discount.

Masahiro Tanaka is currently in the last year of a seven-year, $155 million contract as well, and he will be a free agent this offseason. He will turn 32 in November, and the Yanks will have to decide whether or not to resign him.

Masa has pitched fairly well for the Bombers, particularly in the postseason, and he may draw interest from other ball clubs. The Yanks are likely to want to resign him at a reasonable price and contract duration. Yet, if he becomes too expensive, the club may very well take a walk on him, which would be the right thing to do, given his age. Otherwise, he would be the club’s fifth (or fourth) starter. At this point, unless J.A. Happ turns things around, he is probably destined for long relief as he finishes out his career as a Yankee.

The Yanks will likely have a stellar rotation in 2021 and beyond, provided that Severino rehabs well, and either Paxton or Tanaka remains with the Yanks. If the team has to replace one or more of these arms, however, several starting pitching candidates are waiting in the wings, including Jordan Montgomery, Michael King, Jonathan Loaisiga, Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt, and a couple of others at the lower levels. Or, perhaps, the team may want to pick up another proven starter through a trade or free agency, depending on what opportunities present themselves.

1. Trade Gary Sanchez

If the Yanks truly want to build an empire and begin playing dynasty baseball, they will need to move catcher Gary Sanchez. He will be 28 years old this year, and he is quickly running out of performance runway. He had a .186 and .232 batting average in 2018 and 2019, respectively. He also struck out a lot during those two years.

This year, The Kraken is batting .103 after 39 at bats, has four hits, and only one home run and a trio of RBI. Particularly worrisome, he has struck out a depressing 22 times, more than 50 percent of his at bats! Ouch. Admittedly, he has gone from being a poor fielder behind the plate to an average backstop on the field. He is injury prone and has spent a good deal of his major league career on the IL.

When one looks at the rosters of the great Yankee dynasty teams or other baseball dynasty teams (e.g., Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, etc.), one notices that they all had world-class catchers. Sanchez will never be a member of this group. GM Brian Cashman must now bite the bullet and move Gary Sanchez off the team. The sooner, the better.

My recommendation is to trade him (possibly as part of a package) to another club for an outstanding starting pitcher (as insurance) or a great relief pitcher (in case Tommy Kahnle is unable to regain his form following Tommy John surgery).

Who should replace Sanchez? A prime candidate is J.T. Realmuto. He is currently on the Philadelphia Phillies, and he will become a free agent during the offseason. The Bombers should launch a full-court press to sign him. Yes, he will cost a bit of money, but he is arguably the best catcher in baseball right now.

Another solid catching candidate to pursue would be Willson Contreras, who in my view has emerged as one of the top backstops in MLB. He started for the NL All-Star team in 2018 and 2019. He is a solid hitter, a terrific fielder, and handles the Cubs’ pitchers well. He turned 28 in May and is just coming into his own. The Yanks should pursue him via trade during the offseason, perhaps offering the Cubs Sanchez and another top prospect in return for him.

There are several other candidates worth pursuing, including excellent backup catchers that already are showing great promise and are now better than Sanchez (e.g., James McCann on the Chicago White Sox, who is signed through 2020 and is a free agent in 2021).

The Yanks are an excellent team already. Of course, the club will have to find ways to retain its present stars, which won’t be cheap, in addition to making the three strategic personnel moves I recommend. They are close to becoming a dynasty…again.