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Yankees: 3 Non-Tendered players NYY would be insane not to chase

By Adam Weinrib |
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Archie Bradley #23 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 16, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Archie Bradley #23 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 16, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Thanks to an influx of new free agents, the Yankees would be making a big mistake not adding these talented names off the scrap heap.

What a whirlwind non-tender day, huh? From the lows of attempting to rationalize the Yankees letting Gary Sanchez hit free agency ahead of schedule, to the highs of realizing the team wasn’t going to be that cheap after all and could probably focus on some of the big names who are now available.

And, rest assured, though it technically wasn’t a crazier day than it had been last year (people predicting a landslide of casualties were hopefully not disappointed), there are plenty of famous names who are now jobless just 2.5 months before the supposed start of Spring Training.

And we still don’t know yet if there’s going to be a universal DH. Fun!

Needless to say, more than a few of these newfound free agents are perfect fits for a Yankees team that could stand to improve at the margins.

With all apologies to former Reds catcher Curt Casali (great backup, probably not a starter, not worth replacing Kyle Higashioka), Eddie Rosario (probably too, well, good to play part-time in the Yankees outfield) and Kyle Schwarber (we’ve spilled too much ink there already), these three options feel like excellent choices for the Yanks. They’d be crazy not to pick up the phone.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 22: Archie Bradley #25 of the Arizona Diamondbacks wearing a mask looks on prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on August 22, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 22: Archie Bradley #25 of the Arizona Diamondbacks wearing a mask looks on prior to the start of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on August 22, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

3. Archie Bradley

Everyone wants Archie Bradley, but the Yankees should rectify their 2020 trade deadline mistake here.

Cut Jonathan Holder loose, and go right for the gold with Archie Bradley? Yeah, we could be convinced! Wouldn’t take much!

Bradley would’ve been an ideal 2020 playoff bridge to Green/Britton/Chapman, but alas, the Yankees couldn’t be convinced to go for it all at the slapdash 2020 deadline, and stood pat while the former D-Backs righty went to the Reds and watched a series-long shutout in the Wild Card Round in Atlanta.

Bradley has been as consistent a set-up man as you’ll find since converting to a full-time reliever in 2017. And for a Yankees bullpen that hasn’t been nearly as good as advertised over the past few years (real fans know), and definitely hasn’t been the same since Adam Ottavino went off-kilter in the 2019 postseason, Bradley would be a great, calming bridge to the three fire-breathers at the back end.

He’d also be a viable option to use in higher-leverage duty on a day where one or more of those players must rest, which has been Holder territory the past few years. This is the most obvious fit in the Bronx — unfortunately for the Yankees, it feels like every other contender has realized it, too.

Perhaps since Corey Knebel was so quickly scooped up by the Dodgers, the Yanks will act swiftly here.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 28: Starting pitcher Carlos Rodon #55 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the first inning of game 2 of a double header against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 28, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 28: Starting pitcher Carlos Rodon #55 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the first inning of game 2 of a double header against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 28, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

2. Carlos Rodon

The Yankees have a rotation hole or two, and Carlos Rodon would be a better-than-average flyer.

Carlos Rodon, the third overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft, was a rapid riser in Chicago, but has been haunted by injuries and ineffectiveness the past two years.

But now, all he costs is money. And probably not that much money, considering he needs to be helped off the scrap heap!

There’s something more that needs to be unlocked in Rodon’s nearly-28-year-old arm, and his first four MLB seasons (age 22-26) were all the same level of…well, perfectly capable. In full 2015 and 2016 seasons, Rodon posted 3.75 and 4.04 ERAs with just about a strikeout per inning, then whiffed 76 men in 69.1 innings the next season before his arm started barking. He spent time on the IL in 2017, opened the 2018 season with shoulder troubles, and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019, only to come back for an underwhelming four starts this season.

In other words, that’s a lot of disaster in very little time, but it’s generally darkest before the dawn. Once the TJ procedure and rehab have been completed, it’s quite likely that things get easier for a pitcher from there.

Rodon is a top-pedigree talent who showed off his skills at a very early age at the MLB level, and he’s available for relative peanuts for a team that needs a few different lottery tickets to hit in the back end of the rotation — or, frankly, in the middle of the bullpen. It’s been a long time since the Yankees had a lefty there.

This makes too much sense, and is too inexpensive, not to pursue.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 07: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his homerun with teammate Adam Duvall #23 during the second inning against the Miami Marlins in Game Two of the National League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 07, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 07: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his homerun with teammate Adam Duvall #23 during the second inning against the Miami Marlins in Game Two of the National League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 07, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

1. Adam Duvall

Hey, I heard you like power-hitting fourth outfielders, Yankees? How about Adam Duvall instead of shoving Kyle Schwarber in an unfamiliar role?

Sure, the Yankees could nab someone like Schwarber or Rosario and attempt to use them as fourth outfielders/bench weapons. But can’t you see other teams promising them far more at-bats?

Instead of pigeon-holing long-time starters into reserve roles, why wouldn’t the Yankees try to add an experienced slugging fourth outfielder fresh off the NLCS?

Adam Duvall is still just 32 years old, and mashed 30+ homers in back-to-back seasons for the Reds in 2016 and 2017. Since mid-2018, he’s been the Braves’ supersub, ripping 10 bombs in 41 games in 2019, followed by 16 in 57 this time around — and a pair of postseason homers in two seasons, to boot.

Duvall unfortunately obliqued his way out of the NLCS, but before his injury, Brian Snitker’s plan clearly involved playing him in the majority of postseason games. He’s a valuable contributor who is perfectly prepared to come off the bench and mash.

If the Yankees opt for their long-time crush in Schwarber, it’ll ultimately be fine. But Duvall (although he’s a righty, yes) is already built for the role the Yanks would be attempting to convert Schwarber into. This feels like an easier phone call.

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