Yankees have 1 of 2 ways to fix their annual offseason troubles with star free agents

If we're to believe all the reports, the New York Yankees have struck out on Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker this offseason, and are on the verge of doing the same with Cody Bellinger. This, of course, comes after the Juan Soto disappointment of last winter.

This isn't to say that the Yankees haven't reeled in their share of big-name free agents. Max Fried just last year stands out. However, they've had more misses than hits in recent years.

If they want to change their luck — and they should — there are two things they can do. Either one will help, and putting them both together could make the Yankees a premier free-agent destination once again.

2 ways the Yankees can change their luck with star free agents

Deal with fewer Scott Boras clients except for the mid-tier ones

It feels as if the super-agent represents half of MLB. It's true, his roster is deep and talented, but the man is not a magician. When Scott Boras is representing a superstar, it's a good bet that he's going to reel in the bag (with some notable exceptions). However, when it comes to the very useful, but sometimes overlooked, middle class of free agents, he can often miss the mark.

Take a look at the top-10 Boras clients from this offseason. Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, and Ranger Suarez all landed lucrative, long-term deals. However, several towards the bottom half of the list remain unsigned, and those in the middle who have signed have underwhelmed.

Take Tatsuya Imai, for example. The Japanese right-hander seemed like one of the top options on the market, but between numerous younger names on the trade block and several established free-agent aces, he brought a level of uncertainty that didn't play well. Despite contract projections that ranged between $150-$200 million, he received an opt-out-laden three-year deal worth a maximum of $63 million.

The one-year deal or short-term pillow contract are his specialties in these cases, and they tend to be pretty team-friendly. Meanwhile, the Yankees have done high-profile deals with Boras in the past, and seemingly expect him to make concessions in the interest of maintaining their working relationship. He doesn't operate that way, however, and has no problem leveraging the Yankees to secure bigger offers for his stars elsewhere. The sooner the Yankees realize that's the way things are, the better off they'll be.

Stop making "fair offers" and start making ones that are competitive in the market

The Yankees' standoff with Cody Bellinger is a perfect example of this. They've held strong in their five-year, $155-$160 million offer, only making minor tweaks to try and sweeten the pot without actually adding any more money or years.

Some insiders believe Bellinger's demands, particularly the seventh year, are wholly unreasonable. It would seem then that the Yankees' offer is fair, given what the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year is worth on the field.

That could all be very true, but it's not on-field worth that matters as much as it is value relative to what the market is willing to pay. Take Kyle Tucker, for example. He's a fantastic player, but might fall short of being a true superstar in the tier of Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and a handful of others. Is he worth $60 million a year? Probably not, but if the Dodgers were going to sign him, it was going to be at that number or giving him the decade-long commitment that would have satisfied him.

Another interesting case is Bo Bichette. He's another very good player, but not one without flaws. The former Toronto Blue Jay is just one season removed from a .225/.277/.322 in an injury-plagued campaign. Entering his age-28 season, his defense has declined so drastically that he's being forced to move off shortstop. Still, the Mets gave him $42 million a year for three years and are moving him to third base, a position he's never played before. There's some real risk there.

From Bichette's perspective, the deal made sense. He originally sought $300 million, and when the best long-term commitment — a seven-year, $200 million offer from the Phillies — came in well short of that mark, it became clear to him that his best chance to earn big was the short-term, high-AAV offer with the chance to cash in again shortly while still in his prime.

The Yankees need to learn that this isn't about "fair." It's about what the market is willing to pay. They can either leverage length to keep the AAV low (something that has burned them in the past) or they can pay big in the short-term. Trying to live in the middle ground is a fool's errand that will only disappoint.