5 Yankees who might have trouble keeping 40-man roster spot

4. Domingo German

Garcia’s role at the MLB level is unclear, though our best guess is he should be a starter. As for Domingo German, we thought that was his fate after a fairly impressive 2019. But then a domestic violence suspension kept him on the shelf in 2020. The Yankees inexplicably stuck by him throughout the entire troubling (and embarrassing) process, only to be rewarded with 22 games (18 starts), totaling 98.1 innings, and he was removed from the rotation after a last-minute dental procedure somehow sounded the alarms for manager Aaron Boone.

German’s best outing of the season came at the end of July when he had a no-hitter against the Red Sox heading into the eighth inning … and then Boston scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to win 5-4. Did we mention he was also part of the pre-All-Star break meltdown in Houston?

German pitched in just one game between August and October because of a shoulder issue, and at this point we just don’t know why he’s worth $2.1 million to not really possess a role and not be particularly good at whatever the Yankees are asking him to do. If the goal is to have another arm on hand to eat innings and float between the rotation and bullpen, well, wouldn’t we rather give that to an up-and-coming prospect instead of a 29-year-old with a checkered past?

German isn’t awful, but the Yankees can do better, and once they realize that, it won’t be all that shocking if he’s sent packing. This team doesn’t need more position-less or role-less players who lack the necessary personality to play in New York.

3. Estevan Florial

Like Garcia, Florial’s development has seemingly hit a snag and he might be of better use elsewhere. At the moment, Florial sits alongside Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Miguel Andújar and Everson Pereira as the outfielders on the 40-man roster.

With so many outfield reps to go around last year, the Yankees instead opted to award Brett Gardner with 140 games instead of seeing what use Florial could be. The lefty slugger appeared in just 11 games and logged 20 at-bats, but finished with a .300 average and .990 OPS. He was also solid in the field. But that wasn’t enough for the Yankees to continue the experiment.

That’s why we’re questioning his place on the roster. Throw in Ender Inciarte’s addition on a minor-league contract, and the former Brave making noise in spring training could be the difference here. Florial’s been losing value since 2017 and didn’t see ample MLB time when injuries and regressions thinned the Yankees’ outfield. So what’s the point?

Florial’s defensive versatility and smooth swing might intrigue somebody on the trade market, specifically if he were part of a larger package, and the Yankees shouldn’t hesitate to move him with prospects like Jasson Dominguez, Everson Pereira and Brandon Lockridge higher in the pecking order.

2. Miguel Andújar

When Miguel Andújar was tendered a contract, you gasped. Don’t lie. This team released Clint Frazier and not Andújar! They are willing to pay a position-less player with an underwhelming bat close to $2 million in 2022! Why?!

Andújar’s career was upended when he injured his shoulder in 2019 and paved the way for Gio Urshela to become a star (but now he’s apparently fallen out of favor, so what does this team really have?). That forced the Yankees to try Andújar in the outfield, which was a disastrous experiment. He might’ve only had one error, but we guess misplays and poor instincts aren’t accounted for as much as they should be in advanced defensive metrics.

The 2021 Yankees, at one point, had Andújar and Frazier starting multiple games in the corner outfield spots. And most of us lived through that. In the end, bad defense is ultimately fine if you’re making up for it on offense, but Andújar has been a shell of his former 2018 self. Over his last 66 games between 2020 and 2021, he’s batting .250 with 12 extra-base hits, which leaves his OPS in the mid .600s. Bad.

It’s a shame how this has all transpired. Andújar was supposed to be another Baby Bomber, but he’s flamed out fast, and another outfield signing or infield addition could probably get him traded for anything just so the Yankees can save that couple million (every cent counts nowadays in this version of New York!).

Please, spare us him getting reps at first base at all costs.

1. Luke Voit

Luke Voit is currently the New York Yankees’ starting first baseman, and we’d guess not many fans would be upset by that. He’s a fan favorite, just finished the 2020 season as a home run champ, has been nothing but productive when healthy, and provides the necessary energy and passion this roster lacks.

But the Yankees waved the white flag on Voit when they traded for Anthony Rizzo, indicating they were fed up with his constant injury troubles. Then, they didn’t fit him into the lineup when there was an opportunity to do so after he returned to full strength.

And what has this offseason offered thus far? Endless rumors about the Yankees’ starting first baseman in 2022. Will it be Freddie Freeman, who the Yankees are reportedly ready to make a run at? What about Matt Olson after a trade with the Oakland Athletics materializes since they match up so well? Rizzo might return if those two options fall through, leaving Voit as Plan D?

If last season’s actions and this offseason’s rumors didn’t sour the relationship, then man, Voit might not know how to hold a grudge. But it’s becoming more and more evident that the Yankees will move on from him and trade him and his $5.4 million salary to create payroll flexibility and give Voit the opportunity to start elsewhere since he has three more years of arbitration remaining.

Pretty insane that this is what will probably happen to him after slugging 68 homers and 182 RBI while maintaining an .883 OPS and 137 OPS+ in 281 career games with the Yankees. But unless New York has plans to put him back as the starter and have mended whatever bridges might been burned along the way, Voit’s exit is a fait accompli.

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