NEW YORK — An American League scout made up a phrase to sum up why the Yankees have been swept out of the playoffs by the Rays.
“They have been out ‘baseballed.’ That’s what the Blue Jays did to them final yr and that’s what occurred this yr.”
Is smart. The Yankees have quite a lot of stars, however they’re not an entire that’s higher than the sum of their components.
The Rays are mastering platoon utilization the best way the Blue Jays did final yr. That’s why each groups beat the Yankees out for division titles, then ended their season in a best-of-five Division Sequence.
What the Yankees have been for years is a good common season crew that may’t recover from the hump.
It’s time to vary the dynamics of their roster.
They want extra avid gamers, extra right-handed hitters, extra versatility, extra gamers who can thrive in New York.
What the Yankees don’t must do is spend $400 million on Tarik Skubal. They’ve loads of aces and beginning pitching depth.
I spent the final two days finding out this offseason’s free agent market searching for good matches for the Yankees. I checked out conventional stats, metrics and traits. I went over choices with an government and a scout.
I got here up with six free brokers for the Yankees.
— Shore up the bullpen by bringing again nearer David Bednar and high-leverage reliever Paul Blackburn.
— Signal three-time batting champion Luis Arraez to play second base.
— Signal super-utility participant extraordinaire Mauricio Dubon to play quite a lot of third base and everybody else.
— Usher in Carson Kelly to share the catching duties with Austin Wells.
— Add Tyrone Taylor because the fourth outfielder.
“The Yankees want some avid gamers and that’s what these guys all are,” an MLB government informed NJ.com.
Right here is the news on the six free brokers with scouting reviews from the manager:
LUIS ARRAEZ, 2B
Age: 29 (30 on April 9, 2027).
Contract standing: Free agent.
Bats: Left.
2026 wage: $12M.
2026 stats: Giants & Phillies, .310 common, 596 AB, 67 runs, 185 hits, 33 doubles, 7 triples, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 10 SB, 1 CS, 34 BB, 28 Ok, .765 OPS, 151 video games.
2026 splits: .314 common, 1 HR, .764 OPS in 194 PA vs. LHP; .308 common, 5 HR, .765 OPS in 445 PA vs. RHP.
The thin: Three-time batting champion (2022-24) completed second by one proportion level this season to Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno. … Sat out closing three regular-season video games and the Phillies’ three playoff video games with sprained ankle. … All-Star in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026. … Ranks fifth amongst energetic gamers with a .316 profession common in 8 seasons with Twins (2019-22), Marlins (2023-24), Padres (2024-25), Giants (2026) and Phillies (2026). … Second base play improved from under common to Gold Glove-caliber this season on account of work with Giants infield coach Ron Washington. … Had eight errors in 426 possibilities for .987 fielding proportion in 149 video games at second base. … Had MLB finest 4.3 strikeout price in 2026.
MLB government’s take: “Arraez is vastly underrated as a participant, particularly defensively. He made large enhancements. I watched him quite a bit late within the yr and he made all of the performs. His beatdown was all the time bat velocity, exit velo and the protection. I believed he did job this yr actually homing in on the protection and making it not an issue. Is he can improve from Jazz? Yeah, simply from a make-up standpoint on prime of hitting. The one factor that doubtlessly would come to play with Arraez on the Yankees is would he begin attempting to hit residence runs at Yankee Stadium? He hit quite a lot of balls within the air to proper area in comparison with line drives when he acquired to Philadelphia. Now in case you financially safe Arraez the place he doesn’t really feel like he must put up residence run numbers … However in case you give him a one-year, $12 million deal, he’s going to attempt to put up numbers, and you may’t blame him for that.”
MAURICIO DUBON, INF/OF
Age: 29 (30 on April 9, 2027).
Contract standing: Free agent.
Bats: Proper.
2026 wage: $6.1M.
2026 stats: Braves, .276 common, 572 AB, 66 runs, 158 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 12 HR, 73 RBI, 10 SB, 3 CS, 35 BB, 73 Ok, .719 OPS, 153 video games.
2026 splits: .287 common, 8 HR, .743 OPS in 210 PA vs. LHP; .255 common, 4 HR, .675 OPS in 376 PA vs. RHP.
The thin: One in all majors’ finest super-utility gamers established profession highs for homers and RBI this yr. … Dedicated expensive error dropping a popup taking part in shortstop in season-ending Division Sequence loss, however is considered among the finest all-around defenders within the majors. … Received Gold Glove for utility in 2023 and 2025. … Made 145 begins at 4 positions this season – 75 in left area, 51 at shortstop, 14 in heart area and 5 at third base. … Over his profession has made 12 begins at first base, 159 at second, 132 at shortstop, 34 at third, 14 in proper area, 145 in heart and 145 in left. … Profession .261 hitter in eight seasons with Brewers (2019), Giants (2019-22), Astros (2022-25) and Braves (2026). … One in all two gamers in MLB historical past born in Honduras, together with Gerald Younger (OF, 1987-94), however grew up in Sacramento, Calif.
MLB government’s take: “As a participant, Dubon’s multifaceted. He can transfer across the area. He’s acquired some sneaky pop. He finds the bat to the ball quite a bit. He’s not an actual affected person hitter, however he’s a sparkplug. He performs exhausting on a regular basis. He’d give the Yankees extra of baseball-player angle than a few of their guys have. The Rays have baseball gamers. Properly, Dubon is a baseball participant. I feel he’s the sort of man that should come into that crew. They’re going to do away with Chisholm, in order that’ll be good.”
CARSON KELLY, C
Age: 32 (33 on July 14, 2027).
Contract standing: Free agent.
Bats: Proper.
2026 wage: $5M.
2026 stats: Cubs, .258 common, 380 AB, 57 runs, 98 hits, 15 doubles, 10 HR, 58 RBI, 0 SB, 1 CS, 40 BB, 70 Ok, .713 OPS, 120 video games.
2026 splits: .298 common, 6 HR, .871 OPS in 136 PA vs. LHP; .239 common, 5 HR, .639 OPS in 280 PA vs. RHP.
The thin: Established career-bests for common and RBI in 2026. … Made 96 begins at catcher … Received 86 % of ABS challenges as catcher, rating amongst finest in majors. … Profession .234 hitter with .699 OPS in 11 MLB seasons with Cardinals (2016-18), Diamondbacks (2019-23), Tigers (2023-24), Rangers (2024) and Cubs (2025-26). … Standout receiver and game-caller scored excessive in Baseball Savant’s catching metrics, rating ninth amongst 74 qualifiers with a plus-6 in blocks above common and 25th amongst 66 with a plus-1 in framing. … Threw out 20 of 83 basestealers for a 24.1 caught stealing proportion that was barely above the 23.2 league common. … Had higher defensive metrics and hitting stats in 2026 than free agent catcher Ryan Jeffers, who was focused by Yankees this previous summer time earlier than the Twins saved him.
MLB government’s take: “Kelly is a troublesome out. He grinds his at-bats. Is he an All-Star? No. However you’re speaking a couple of platoon with Austin Wells, who I feel will probably be higher subsequent yr. Kelly does effectively again there. He’s receiver. I feel that’s match for the Yankees. Kelly makes extra sense to me than signing Jeffers.”
TYRONE TAYLOR
Age: 32 (33 on Jan. 22, 2027).
Contract standing: Free agent.
Bats: Proper.
2026 wage: $3.8M.
2026 stats: Mets & Cubs, .279 common, 219 AB, 36 runs, 61 hits, 16 doubles, 11 HR, 38 RBI, 3 SB, 2 CS, 14 BB, 41 Ok, .827 OPS, 97 video games.
2026 splits: .318 common, 6 HR, .931 OPS in 118 PA vs. LHP; .239 common, 5 HR, .734 OPS in 123 PA vs. RHP.
The thin: Completed season hitting .351 in 30 video games with Cubs following commerce on Aug. 3 from Mets with Clay Holmes for infielder prospect Jefferson Rojas. … Profession .243 hitter in eight seasons with Brewers (2019-23), Mets (2024-26) and Cubs (2026). … Had a 12.2 strikeout price and 6.1 stroll price in 2026. … In Baseball Savant’s Outs Above Common has profession rankings of plus-10 in heart area, plus-6 in left area and plus-5 in proper area.
MLB government’s take: “Tyrone is a gamer who’s acquired versatility within the outfield. That’s the explanation he retains discovering a job. He can play heart, too. Is he a Gold Glover? No, however he’s going to be simply tremendous on the market, similar to Spencer Jones is. On the plate, Tyrone all the time has been a troublesome out. I’ve all the time appreciated him.”
DAVID BEDNAR, RHP
Age: 31 (32 on Oct. 10, 2026).
Contract standing: Free agent.
2026 wage: $9M.
2026 stats: Yankees, 7-3, 2.47 ERA, 35 saves, 64 video games, 69.1 IP, 52 hits, 25 runs, 19 ER, 4 HR, 20 BB, 76 Ok.
Pitch combine: Splitter (90.8 mph, 41.2%, .149 OBA); 4-seamer (96.1 mph, 40.6%, .281 OBA); Curve (77 mph, 18.2%, .286 OBA).
The thin: Was 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA and 11 saves in 13 possibilities in 21 appearances via Might 18, then completed season with a 1.30 ERA and 24 saves in 26 possibilities over closing 43 outings. … Ranks fifth in majors with 143 saves since 2022 and ninth with an 87.2 save proportion. … Was an NL All-Star in 2022 and 2023. … Led NL with 39 saves in 2023. … Has 25-26 report with 3.03 ERA in 379 video games over 8 MLB seasons with Padres (2019-20), Pirates (2021-25) and Yankees (2025-26).
MLB government’s take: “Bednar had yr. That’s a man that the Yankees ought to maintain. He’s gone via the trials of being at Yankee Stadium. This man’s confirmed for 2 years now that in a in a high-octane place that he can do the job. I don’t know what extra the Yankees may get available on the market for that job.”
PAUL BLACKBURN, RHP
Age: 32 (33 on Dec. 4, 2026).
Contract standing: Free agent.
2026 wage: $2M.
2026 stats: Yankees, 7-3, 1.69 ERA, 62 video games, 2 begins, 85 IP, 60 hits, 19 runs, 16 ER, 7 HR, 33 BB, 69 Ok.
Pitch combine: Sinker (94.3 mph, 34%, .269 OBA); Changeup (87.5 mph, 21.4%, .090 OBA); Cutter (91.8 mph, 19.6%, .286 OBA); Curve (81.1 mph, 14.5%, .081 OBA); Sweeper (83.8 mph, 7.4%, .154 OBA).
The thin: Had career-best 1.69 ERA in first full yr as reliever. … Amongst MLB relievers ranked third in ERA, seventh in innings and tied for sixth in wins. … Allowed no runs whereas recording at the very least 4 outs in 22 appearances, second-most in majors. … Was 0-3 with 6.23 ERA in 15 video games, 4 begins, with Mets and Yankees in 2025. … Was an All-Star in 2022 when he was 7-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 21 video games, 20 begins, for 102-loss Athletics. … Has 29-34 report with 4.46 ERA in 163 video games, 88 begins, over 10 MLB seasons with Athletics (2017-24), Mets (2024-25) and Yankees (2025-26).
MLB government’s take: “We speak on a regular basis about the way you’ve acquired to have all of the horses, and there’s some reality to that, however once you get to the playoffs, it’s worthwhile to have a reliever who can throw two innings. That’s what Blackburn can deliver you. Blackburn was a starter ceaselessly and he remade himself. While you begin, you may have a special mentality of getting to tempo your self. Now he’s throwing more durable and he’s developed his secondary to be higher than it ever has been. It’s fairly spectacular. You take a look at the numbers and also you’re like, ‘Holy crap!’ This dude had an excellent yr. Blackburn might be going to get a pleasant little elevate now. He’s a Scott Boras man. It’s going to be fascinating to see what’s on the market on the free agent marketplace for him due to the flexibility that he offers. You may put him in late. If it’s 1-1 within the fifth inning and Gerrit Cole is popping out as a result of his pitch depend’s as much as 97, you’re comfy bringing in Blackburn to get 5 or 6 outs. Eighty-five innings for a reliever is effective. We’re going to learn how a lot worth groups placed on these 85 innings that he threw.”
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