Yankees: 3 players we need to drop like a bad habit

The Yankees have enough roster talent to win a World Series title, but offloading these three players would give the team much-needed flexibility. 

A lot is being written about potential players the Yankees should be looking to acquire this offseason. That ignores the franchise’s need to offload talent to make room for any potential additions. Brian Cashman and his front office must pay equal attention to the players who need to be permitted to leave the Bronx.

The good news for the Yankees is that even the players they might want to jettison still have value for other teams in the league. That means Cashman can swing trades that bring back players who can potentially grow into important cogs of the team’s future. None of the following players can be offloaded for immediate All-Stars, but any of the trio could net valuable prospects who can help New York down the road.

There’s no certainty that the Yankees will get rid of any big names this offseason, but fans should keep a close eye on the following three players as potential candidates to be moved.

3. Gary Sanchez

The idea that the Yankees should cut bait on arguably the worst starting catcher in baseball from 2020 is hardly groundbreaking. The franchise did surprise some fans by choosing to tender him a contract last week, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a fixture in the organization’s long-term plans.

Sanchez won’t bring the Yankees a fortune in any trade. There may be, however, multiple teams who believe they can find a way to turn his career around. There’s little argument around the league about his prodigious amount of talent. That could push an ambitious team to give up a quality prospect in exchange for the chance to gamble on Sanchez’s natural ability.

If the Yankees do let Sanchez go, they’ll need to acquire a new potential starter. Kyle Higashioka isn’t ready for that kind of responsibility. It’s an investment worth making for a team with legitimate World Series aspirations.