Yankees' free agent alternatives after complete list of qualifying offer candidates revealed

With the deadline for qualifying offer decisions passing, free agency is officially upon us. The New York Yankees made a key choice, opting to give David Bednar the QO instead of Jazz Chisholm Jr. Bednar was one of eight players to get tagged with draft pick compensation, and of the seven others, a handful were projected Yankees targets.

Recent history has shown us that New York will shy away from giving up a pick unless said player is an absolute superstar. In this case, none of the seven players in question fit that bill, even if they are fits in the Bronx. That means it's time to look for backup plans for each of the top-of-market guys who've been knocked off the table by these qualifying offer decisions.

4 Yankees backup plans as Ryan Jeffers, Adrian Morejon, Brandon Lowe, and Seiya Suzuki all get qualifying offers

Pivot from Ryan Jeffers to Tyler Stephenson

While Ryan Jeffers was thought to be the Yankees' top target at the trade deadline before the Minnesota Twins pulled him off the block, the prevailing view has been that New York would target a lower-tier veteran platoon option to pair with Austin Wells this winter. Projection systems have been bullish on Wells bouncing back in 2027, further fueling that speculation.

However, the top of the market options at catcher might not get crazy money, which could put them back in play. Jeffers is out, but Tyler Stephenson could be in. Entering 2026, he had been nearly identical to Jeffers with the bat, posting a career 107 wRC+ versus Jeffers' 108 mark. He hits the ball hard often and at good angles while rarely chasing. Defensively, he's a 97th percentile pitch blocker and a frequent (and often correct) ABS challenger. All said, he's probably equivalent to Jeffers if the Yankees decide the want a true starting-caliber backstop.

Pursue Alex Vesia over Adrian Morejon

Lefty relievers who fire off 100 MPH sinkers and rack up the Ks in high-leverage innings don't grow on trees, and that's exactly why the San Diego Padres opted to give Adrian Morejon the qualifying offer. The Yankees' bullpen is a huge area of need, and while the setup man they pursue doesn't need to be left-handed, it doesn't hurt.

That's where Los Angeles Dodgers stalwart Alex Vesia comes in. The 30-year-old doesn't throw nearly as hard as Morejon, but he checks every other box, posting a 2.64 ERA and striking out 31.2% of batters he faced while working in the late innings. In fact, an argument could be made that he's actually better than Morejon. His 2.87 career ERA beats Morejon's 3.26 mark, and his 32.4% career strikeout rate bests Morejon's 26% clip.

Luis Arraez makes more sense in light of Brandon Lowe's QO

There was never much buzz connecting the Yankees to Brandon Lowe, the consensus best second baseman on the market. There's a lot to like about the slugging second baseman, but he also would've given New York a lot of what the club already has: another left-handed bat, power, high strikeouts, and spotty defense prior to last year.

This puts the Yankees in an interesting spot. NPB star Shugo Maki would've been an intriguing fit as a right-handed hitter with good exit velocities, strong contact rates, and a superb pulled air percentage. Unfortunately, Japanese outlet Hochi News reported that the Yokohama DeNA BayStars rejected his posting request.

Reunions with Jazz Chisholm Jr. or Gleyber Torres seem incredibly unlikely, leaving Luis Arraez as the last man standing. There's some risk giving a multi-year deal to a one-trick pony, but if New York goes the free agency route, the drop off after Arraez is steep, making him the default choice.

Tyrone Taylor is a cheaper Seiya Suzuki alternative

Seiya Suzuki would've been a great addition to open up more DH opportunities for Aaron Judge while adding a well-rounded right-handed bat and a solid glove to the equation. The qualifying offer takes him off the table, as well as the next-best outfield option, Randy Arozarena, who was also linked to the Yankees but would've been a worse fit.

There is no one else in that top outfield tier, but the Yankees could do well by pivoting to a different kind of solution in Tyrone Taylor. The former Met slashed .279/.325/.502 in 2026, and has always had some pop in his bat from the right side. He also plays solid defense across all three outfield spots, meaning New York can kill two birds with one stone by adding Spencer Jones insurance in center field that Suzuki or Arozarena wouldn't have been able to provide.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow