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3 roster flaws the Yankees still need to correct before Spring Training

Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office still have work to do if they want to give Aaron Boone what he needs before Spring Training arrives.

By Rucker Haringey

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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Juan Soto's decision to leave the Yankees via free agency left the franchise with a giant hole to fill this offseason. Unfortunately for GM Brian Cashman and his staff, there were not any like-for-like replacements available for a superstar of Soto's caliber.

The Yankees do deserve credit for pivoting in a healthy manner. Signing Max Fried to co-anchor the starting rotation alongside Gerrit Cole gives the team another path toward playoff success. Trading for Devin Williams helps solidfy the ninth-inning options available to manager Aaron Boone.

There have been strides made towards improving the offense as well. Paul Goldschmidt should give the team more production at first base then they've enjoyed in recent seasons. Cody Bellinger's left-handed swing should play well in Yankee Stadium.

Cashman's work is not finished though. This roster is still incomplete as Spring Training draws near. Here are three roster flaws that need to be addressed before the players assemble in Florida.

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Yankees roster flaw No. 3: No table-setter for Aaron Judge

The Yankees have a number of good hitters, but they currently lack someone who can lead off and set the table for Aaron Judge. It's possible Anthony Volpe improves to the point where he can regain the top spot in Aaron Boone's order, but that is not something a team with legitimate World Series aspirations should be counting on.

The best path for Cashman to address this weakness is to find a starting infielder who can play second base and sport a healthy on base percentage. That would force Jazz Chisholm to stay at third base but he performed well defensively there last season.

The options available in free agency are slim. Ha-seong Kim could be of interest to the Yankees but he won't be ready for Spring Training due to injury. Otherwise, New York might need to look to the trade market to find a player who can produce traffic on the base paths ahead of Judge in the order next year.

Yankees roster flaw No. 2: No left-hander reliever ready to handle high-leverage situations

Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are ready to handle whatever Boone throws at them in tense situations. The problem for the Yankees is that they don't have a left-handed bullpen arm on the 40-man roster. That leaves Boone's team susceptible to left-handed sluggers in late-game situations.

The good news for Cashman is that there are still quality options available in free agency. Tanner Scott would be a pricy acquisition, but he's got the sort of swing-and-miss stuff that plays well in the postseason. Andrew Chafin is a veteran who can also fill that role with quailty stuff. He would be the less expensive option for the Yankees.

Tim Hill could also return for another tour of duty in the Bronx. He does not have overpowering stuff but he held up to the pressure of New York last season. In an ideal world, Cashman could bring Hill back and add a lefty with dominant stuff to give Boone more options than he enjoyed a season ago.

This isn't a need that absolutely needs to be filled ahead of Spring Training, but waiting until the trade deadline to address it could prove costly to the Yankees.

Yankees roster flaw No. 1: Age

The Yankees' financial prowess will always permit the team to be active in free agency. That means Cashman can generally bring in veterans to cover up his roster holes. The downside to that is that older players are usually more prone to injury.

Giancarlo Stanton is a strong bet to head to the Injured List a couple of times per season. Aaron Judge's age and size make availability a concern for him. Paul Goldschmidt is 37-years-old which puts him in contention for age-related regression and injuries.

Even Cole, Fried and Carlos Rodon are all starting to get up there in age. Each of the team's top three pitchers missed extended time last year. Rodon and Fried, in particular, have checkered injury histories before they arrived in the Bronx.

The Yankees have quality depth at their disposal but they are at risk of losing a lot of games due to injury this year. They can plug multiple holes at once but there's always a chance the injuries become too much for Boone to handle.

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