5 potential free-agent landing spots for Jose Bautista

New York Yankees

The Yankees had an unprecedented spurt of self discipline last winter and did not sign a single free agent. Somewhere, the Boss is rolling over in his grave. Steinbrenner also would have hated to see his team wave the white flag and sell off at the deadline, but it was the right move for the front office.

Surprisingly, the Yankees played their best baseball after the deadline dismantling. Led by Gary Sanchez and the youngsters, they climbed back into the Wild Card race and hung around until the final week of the season. Now, with Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia coming off the books, the Yankees have more free cash to spend than they have in years. Even more money could be created by finding a trade partner to take Brian McCann off the Yankees’ hands.

It’s hard to imagine the Yankees sitting on their hands for a second straight offseason. While the front office must remain committed to the process of waiting for the prospects to mature, at least one big addition should be made this winter. The Yankees are not far off from having a playoff team, and they have room and a need for a slugging DH like Bautista in their lineup. Yes, the Yankees are gearing up to offer Bryce Harper and Mike Trout somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion dollars when they hit free agency, but the team cannot throw in the towel on the next two years.