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

Once the lockout is lifted (between now and 2023), the New York Yankees are expected to make additions via free agency and trades, which would create a bit of a roster crunch. Right now, their 40-man roster is at 39 and plenty of jobs are up for grabs.

The Bombers still need to add a shortstop, a position currently occupied by nobody. A change at first base is coming. Ender Inciarte might disrupt the current outfield situation. The rotation and bullpen will feature a number of new faces competing for supremacy.

This will not be the same 40-man roster come 2022 Opening Day and we’re not going out on a limb to assume at least five players’ spots are in jeopardy with the impending changes only being held up because the league can’t get its priorities in order.

Nobody knows what’s definitively next, but there have been warning signs and crumb trails leading us to the next series of Brian Cashman moves.

Some players will be let go for good reason. Others because life is unfair. And more because of a logjam at a certain position.

Because if sweeping changes aren’t en route to address the shortcomings of this roster, then we might be looking back at this list saying “What the f—?!”

These 5 Yankees might have trouble holding onto their 40-man roster spots.

5. Deivi Garcia

What to do with Deivi Garcia. The young right-hander (22 years old) was a revelation during the shortened 2020 when he stepped into the rotation to deliver gutsy performances when every win mattered. In six starts, he averaged over five innings per outing, finished with a 4.98 ERA, 4.15 FIP, 1.19 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.

In 2021? He made two stops at the MLB level — an underwhelming showing against the lowly Orioles and a disaster against the Tigers — and went 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.44 WHIP, and seven strikeouts in 8.1 innings. But that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Whatever mechanical change was made to Garcia’s windup destroyed him in Triple-A, where he went 3-7 with a 6.85 ERA and 1.88 WHIP (!!!) across 24 games (22 starts), totaling 90.2 innings. He walked 68 batters. Again, we don’t know what happened.

And if he can’t be some sort of a hybrid between spot starter and multi-inning reliever for the Yankees, we just don’t know why they’d continue wasting a 40-man spot on him. Garcia’s name has come up in trade talks as an additional piece in potential larger deals, too, so that could end up being his fate.

But if he proves nothing during spring training, the Yankees might not have a problem squeezing him off the roster if they don’t see a fit for what they need at the moment.

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.

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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