Urgent moves Yankees must make now to avoid pre-lockout letdown from 2021

The words coulda, shoulda, woulda are not something you typically like to hear when it comes to building a baseball team. They refer to the feelings of regret and disappointment, often associated with not making a key free agent signing or pulling the trigger on a trade. Often times, those failed moves can come back and haunt a team down the road. With a potential lockout looming, the New York Yankees can learn from their recent past in order to better prepare themselves for a very important season ahead of them, whenever it may be played. 

The current iteration of the Yankees’ roster helped guide the team to the second-most wins in the American League in 2026. But as in previous years, success in the regular season did not translate to a prolonged playoff run. Similarly, the 2026 Yankees boasted some glaring holes on the roster that led to another early exit in October. Luckily, just a few free agent signings can help patch those holes. There is also one player that the team must re-sign heading into next season.   

But with the lockdown set for Dec. 1, the Yankees won’t have long to figure out which direction they’d like to take the roster in 2027. If they hesitate, they could miss out on constructing the best possible team for next season. That’s not just a hypothetical scenario either. Just five years ago, the Yankees found themselves in this exact position.

The Yankees have hopefully learned from 2021 to prepare for next season

For the 2022 Yankees team, the inaction of general manager Brian Cashman ahead of the lockout cost them a chance to solidify its roster and ensure that the offense was as good as it could possibly be. On the heels of a painful Wild Card loss to the Boston Red Sox in 2021, the Yankees had a short window to make some much-needed upgrades before the lockout began. 

Instead, Cashman and the Yankees made one low-level trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, acquiring T.J. Rumfield. Outside of that deal, the team declined to make any real additions. While other postseason contenders aggressively pursued top free agents such as shortstop Corey Seager and pitcher Raisel Iglesias, the Yankees held their position and essentially ran it back with their previous roster. 

That decision wasn’t catastrophic by any means. The Yankees were a good team in 2022. However, you could argue that the offense was carried by Aaron Judge’s historic 62-home run season. Despite winning 99 games in the regular season and making it to the ALCS, the Yankees were swept in four games by the Houston Astros. With just nine runs scored in that series, the offense was clearly a big reason for their defeat.  

With just five runs scored in three games in this year’s ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees face a near carbon copy of their offseason five years ago. This time around, they can’t be caught with their hands in their pockets.  

Teruaki Sato could be the Yankees’ best option to add a serious bat

The Yankees missed out on Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami last offseason. While Teruaki Sato isn’t guaranteed to have the same type of debut like his fellow countryman, he does possess the talent to be a dangerous weapon at Yankee Stadium. Equipped with a career .851 OPS in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Sato has steadily improved as a hitter throughout his six seasons as a pro.

In 539 at-bats for the Hanshin Tigers in 2026, Sato clubbed 39 home runs while adding 106 RBI. That type of production may not perfectly translate against MLB-level pitching, but the Yankees would be willing to take half of that in 2027. As one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, Sato will likely be a hefty investment. But if the Yankees are serious about becoming World Series contenders and making the most out of the tail-end of Judge’s prime, they need to take some chances to lengthen the lineup.

Adding the versatility of Mauricio Dubón

The Yankees have some strong defensive players on the roster. Left fielder Cody Bellinger won his second-career Gold Glove and players like Austin Wells have steadily added value with their glove. However, as a whole, the team leaves a lot to be desired. A number of hard-fought games could have turned out differently with some sharper defense in clutch situations. Adding a utility player like Mauricio Dubón could be a big answer to that problem.

Dubón has logged significant innings all across the diamond. As another recent Gold Glove winner, he's as solid as they get in baseball. No, he’s not an elite option with the bat. But as a bottom-of-the-order hitter, you could do a lot worse. His .276/.321/.399 line in 572 at-bats in 2026 for the Atlanta Braves showed that he is more than capable of providing decent offensive production.  

Re-signing David Bednar is a must 

Is David Bednar a perfect closer? Not quite. But he has established himself as one of the best in all of baseball during his short time with the Yankees. Does he sometimes pitch himself into jams before narrowly escaping disaster? Yes. But he has become a steady option in the Yankees’ bullpen and a pitcher that Aaron Boone can turn to in order to get more than just the final three outs of a ball game. 

In 86 games for the Yankees since 2025, Bednar has collected 45 saves and boasts a 2.57 FIP. He’s also given up a single run in eight postseason appearances. That’s about as good as you could get from your closer. We already know that some pitchers struggle to perform in the Bronx, so hanging onto those who can excel under the bright lights is a must. The Yankees have already extended Bednar a qualifying offer, but his services will be needed for longer than that. Re-signing the right-hander won’t be cheap, but he will be well worth the money.    

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