Yankees: 3 non-tender candidates that can save NYY money for DJ LeMahieu contract

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The Yankees are going to be saving money any way they can in 2020 — so, yeah, they’ll be exploring the non-tender market.

The Yankees have a unique opportunity to improve their roster by being one of the very few teams rich enough to even spend at the margins entering this bizarre 2020 offseason.

The only problem here? They don’t seem willing to even do that.

Instead, the Yankees claim that they lost more money in the pandemic-shortened season than any other franchise, an extrapolation of their extreme value but surely an empty claim. After all, if anyone can weather a tough few months, it’s the richest among us, right?

Unfortunately, when plotting this offseason, we have to behave like the Yankees are telling the truth as they continue to assure us they’re having troubles. That means, with the rotation, bullpen and a man named DJ LeMahieu to address, we need to figure out how to cut money by any means necessary — and that includes non-tenders, both surprising and expected.

The first (regrettably easy) loss was Tommy Kahnle. If the Yanks don’t plan on paying a full roster worth of active players, they certainly weren’t going to pay Kahnle, a free agent after 2021, to rehab on their dime.

Today RHP Tommy Kahnle elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 31, 2020

But what comes next? With several top prospects who need protection on the 40-man, New York is going to have to wedge some veterans off their current iteration of the roster.

These three are our best guesses. They’d both clear space and save cash.

Luis Cessa #85 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

3. Luis Cessa

Yankees fans might finally get their wish: No more Luis Cessa for 2021.

Though Luis Cessa has (ducks) overperformed his reputation recently, especially in 2020, he isn’t an especially irreplaceable bullpen piece/long man.

And in his second year of arbitration, with a raise ahead of him, the Yankees may finally opt to look for a cheaper solution to hold down the fort in the middle of blowouts.

Cessa is without any remaining minor-league options, which gives Jonathan Holder the roster advantage in his stead (Holder still has one!). In his second year of arbitration, it’s likely that the replaceable righty will earn over $1 million this year, especially banking off an actually-solid performance in 2020.

Though no fan really has faith in Cessa when a razor-thin margin is at play, he definitely proved himself to be the (sorry) “best of the worst” bullpen crew in ’20, whiffing 17 in 21.2 innings pitched and posting a positive WAR and 3.32 ERA.

The team will only save between $1 and $2 million by slicing Cessa loose, but every dollar counts during this bizarre times, and we’re fairly sure the Yankees think they can plug this particular hole elsewhere.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 30: Ben Heller #61 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

2. Ben Heller

The Yankees have given Ben Heller a lot of chances. This is probably an easy one.

Ben Heller was the Yankees’ best chance to get additional value out of the ancillary pieces of the Andrew Miller-Clint Frazier/Justus Sheffield swap, but four years later, we’re still sort of spinning our wheels here.

Though Heller has exceptional stuff and has performed admirably whenever he’s been given the chance to handle low-leverage situations, the expectation was he’d have more placed on his shoulders by now. Unfortunately, one of the best abilities is availability, and Heller hasn’t had enough time on the mound to advance past the entry-level gigs in the Yankees ‘pen.

He underwent Tommy John surgery at the start of 2018 after a successful amount of limited 0.82-ERA duty in 2017. Since then, it’s mostly been a mirage for Heller, who’s dealing with a biceps nerve issue now, and likely won’t be able to capitalize on his momentum entering 2021.

At a certain point, enough is enough. It’s unclear if Heller will be arb-eligible this offseason (it’s a judgment call, based on his limited participation in 2020’s slate), but either way, odds are high the team will pull a Kahnle here and prioritize prospects over an injured pitcher who has more rehab left ahead of him.

Sad, but true.

Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

1. Gary Sanchez

Yeah, the Yankees really might deal Gary Sanchez before trade talks even materialize.

TIRED: Worrying the Yankees won’t get enough in trade for Gary Sanchez

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Yes, this is a real possibility, as floated by The New York Post’s George A. King as something that rival executives are anticipating. Sanchez, entering his second year of arbitration eligibility, won’t be due nearly as much money as Aaron Judge is set to receive, but he is likely the Yankee who’ll receive the second-most cash in the process.

Based on his 2020 season, during which he was mostly adrift at sea, it’ll also be a massive overpay and could create a deeper schism between the catcher and the front office.

Last season, Sanchez earned $5.6 million coming off an All-Star 2019, a significant raise off the the $669,800 he’d made the year prior. Even after a disastrous campaign, the slugging catcher would still be due for a statistically significant raise this offseason, and could see that salary figure balloon to $7.5 million or even $8 million.

For a Yankees team trying to scrounge up enough cash from their cushions to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, that’s a hefty chunk of change to allocate to someone you’ve lost faith in.

What once sounded ridiculous isn’t quite so wild anymore.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees at bat in Game One of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at PETCO Park on October 05, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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3 non-tender candidates that can save Yankees money for DJ LeMahieu deal