The New York Yankees still have plenty left to play for this season, but GM Brian Cashman and his staff are already thinking about the construction of next year's roster. New blood will be imported to help improve the franchise's long-term outlook. That means several players on manager Aaron Boone's current roster will need to find new homes before Opening Day of the 2027 campaign.
Finances will play a major factor in many of the roster decisions the Yankees make in the offseason. Ownership has given Cashman a strict order to keep payroll in tact. That puts more of an emphasis on utilizing cost-controlled talent than ever before.
It also means New York won't be inclined to carry any sort of dead salary on next year's roster. That makes upcoming free agents the most likely players to be jettisoned. The following three players should start looking around for potential new homes due to their contracts and questionable on-field contributions.
Paul Goldschmidt should ride off in retirement
Paul Goldschmidt was a good story during the first half of the season, but his role with the team has been drastically reduced since the trade deadline. The team's decision to acquire Luis Garcia served to push Goldschmidt to the periphery of Boone's lineup card.
Next year will be Goldschmidt's age-39 season, which makes retirement the most likely outcome for the veteran first baseman. He might try to find another one-year deal to keep his MLB career going, but the Yankees will not have room to carry him next year at any price. They know they need to improve the athleticism of their roster with more flexible players.
Keeping a player of Goldschmidt's age and declining production simply does not make sense for a team harboring World Series aspirations. He's not a bad player, but the Yankees can do better with his roster spot moving forward.
Trent Grisham may be pricing himself out of the Yankees salary structure
Trent Grisham is another veteran who is likely going to ply his services with another team next season. In many ways, he beat the odds by taking the Yankees' qualifying order to stay for the 2026 campaign. His chances of getting a new, multi-year contract with New York are minimal as he heads into his age 30 season.
Unlike Goldschmidt, Grisham should draw multiple suitors in free agency. He's lost more than a step on defense in center field, but he still can be a quality hitter. The problem with his game from the Yankees' perspective is that his defense is declining at a rate that might restrict him to being a designated hitter in the very near future.
If Trent Grisham played LF, his average top sprint speed would rank him 62nd out of 67 left fielders. pic.twitter.com/MaDOpucLDB
— The WARmonger (@TheWARmonger_) August 4, 2026
Some fans might be sad to see Grisham go, but Cashman will see him leaving as another opportunity to forge a more athletic roster. New York can find a cheaper, more athletic option to upgrade their outfield in free agency or via the trade market.
Amed Rosario hasn't lived up to his reputation for mashing southpaws
The Yankees started the year with the idea that Amed Rosario would be the perfect platoon partner for Ryan McMahon at third base. His history of mashing left-handed pitching made that seem like a logical plan for Cashman and his front office.
Unfortunately for New York, sometimes logical plans don't come to fruition. Rosario has been a poor hitter against all manner of pitching this year. His WAR of -0.3 this year makes him one of the weakest hitters on the roster.
Combine that with Rosario's defensive weakness and he's easily one of the least valuable players the Yankees have this year. He's fortunate to have survived the deadline without Cashman finding an upgrade. He won't be back for the Yankees next year and no one should miss him all that much.
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