MLB Rumors: 5 players the Yankees will target in Free Agency
The Yankees don’t need a roster overhaul this summer to become World Series favorites. Instead, New York just needs to add some talent in free agency.
The 2020 season was a failure for the Yankees since they were unable to end the franchise’s World Series drought. That doesn’t mean New York was all that far away from being the best team in baseball. There’s no real shame in falling one game short against the Rays.
As such, Brian Cashman won’t be required to perform massive roster surgery this offseason. The Yankees have the bones of a championship team. New York’s front office does, however, need to do some good work in free agency if they want to give Aaron Boone enough talent to be called World Series favorites heading into the 2021 campaign.
Bringing back some of the team’s own free agents like D.J. LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka will be high up on Cashman’s to-do list, but the team also needs to add some new blood to the roster. Here are five guys the Yankees need to target with serious offers.
OF. Joc Pederson. 5. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 71. Los Angeles Dodgers. player
Brett Gardner has been a terrific player for the Yankees for many years, but it’s time for his time in pinstripes to come to an end. That leaves the team in need of a younger, more dynamic outfielder who can help strengthen their corner positions.
Pederson has endured a tough season in Los Angeles which may allow the Yankees to bring him in via a bargain contract this offseason. At his best, he’s a power-hitting corner outfielder who can add some extra juice to Boone’s lineup. The fact that he profiles as a left-handed power hitter makes him a particularly intriguing fit to play inside Yankee Stadium on a regular basis.
Pederson isn’t going to morph into a superstar in pinstripes, but he can be a valuable cog in the team’s machine. If his free agency market starts slowly, Cashman could swoop in and make a great deal for Pederson’s services.