3 arbitration-eligible players who will probably be cut before Yankees pay them

The New York Yankees have many decisions awaiting them once their 2026-2027 offseason begins. After mostly running it back last winter, we hope that they've learned their lesson. This year's version of the club is woefully thin in the bullpen and has serious holes at third base and catcher.

To that end, it's already clear that a handful of players have played their way out of the club's 2027 blueprint. Those won't be the only players on the chopping block, however. The Yankees have a plethora of arbitration-eligible players, and some of them will force the organization to make tough decisions.

New York will have to balance competing priorities. Some of these arb-eligible players might still have an ounce or two of potential left to be squeezed out, but the Bronx might not be the place for them to receive that opportunity, as 26-man roster spots are at a premium for a team with World Series aspirations. At the same time, 40-man roster spots will need to be opened as well, as the Yankees look to protect the next wave by adding Rule 5 Draft-eligible prospects. Finally, any cost savings that New York can obtain by cutting extraneous pieces will be beneficial.

These three arbitration-eligible players aren't long for the Yankees roster

Fernando Cruz

Say what you want about Fernando Cruz, but he's been a valuable member of the Yankees. He's been miscast at times as an eighth-inning setup man, but in the right role he has been a positive contributor.

As a late bloomer, the club holds team control over Cruz through the 2029 season, but his injury will likely require Tommy John surgery, and that would keep him out for all of next year and likely a portion of 2028. At 36 years old, the comeback path is daunting, and who knows what a 38-year-old Cruz could be once he's finally healthy. The roster spot means more, and the Yankees can always DFA him and then bring him back on a minor league contract for his rehab.

Clarke Schmidt

At this point, Clarke Schmidt feels like a ticking time bomb. The once-promising right-hander threw a career-high 159 innings in 2023, but posted a 4.64 ERA. Since then, he's put together encouraging 2024 and 2025 campaigns, but has never thrown more than 85 1/3 innings before or after that 2023 season.

While working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Schmidt was briefly shut down due to forearm cramps at the beginning of August. Now, the 30-year-old is dealing with bicep soreness. The greatest ability is availability, and that has long been an issue for Schmidt.

Luis Gil

On the one hand, Luis Gil's 1.50 ERA as a reliever this season is encouraging. But while his strikeouts have returned, the walks are still an issue, and it's only been a six-inning sample. The performance hasn't been significant enough to draw real conclusions from, but if we were to give any consideration to the ERA, we'd also have to note that his 4.95 xFIP foreshadows regression.

The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year isn't guaranteed a spot on the postseason roster, and that kind of tells you all you need to know. If he's not one of the best 13 pitchers now, with New York lacking depth in the bullpen, how will he manage to be one of the best 13 once they club (hopefully) adds reinforcements this winter? Making matters worse, Gil also has durability concerns similar to Schmidt. It feels strange to punt on a player who isn't a free agent until 2030 and had not long ago shown so much promise, but again roster spots are at a premium and it's hard to see Gil's long-term fit.

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