3 Yankees that weren’t traded at the deadline but will be gone this offseason

The Yankees managed to add Jazz Chisholm, Mark Leiter and Enyel De Los Santos at this year's trade deadline but GM Brian Cashman and his front office could have been much more active. In fact, the organization could be criticized for not getting rid of a few players who have no future in the Bronx.

Of course, swinging that many trades is easier said than done. There are plenty of complicating factors explaining why the Yankees could not have jettisoned all of the players they might have wanted to in a perfect world. Trades require partners willing to take on the players New York no longer wants. The high salaries doled out to some of those stars also played a big role in keeping them in New York for a few additional months.

Nonetheless, Yankee fans who are particularly attached to any of the three players on this list might want to relish watching them in pinstripes down the stretch. Once the offseason begins there's a strong chance they'll be looking for a new home.

3. Alex Verdugo

Alex Verdugo was brought in to help the Yankees batting order make more contact. He's endured an up-and-down season in the Bronx. That, combined with the fact that he's due to hit free agency this offseason makes his long-term status with the team tenuous at best.

Verdugo is making just a shade under $9 million this year which will likely price him out of a return to the Bronx. The team is doing everything they can to shed payroll ahead of next year to make sure they can afford to hand Juan Soto a lucrative new contract. That means Jasson Dominguez, and his cheap salary, are a good bet to patrol an outfield spot for New York next season.

In fairness to the Yankees front office, teams were not lining up to take on Verdugo's expiring contract ahead of the deadline. It's easy to see how he would have been much more valuable to New York down the stretch than to any other trade partner. His recent uptick at the plate only adds to the validity of that thought process.

The Yankees might be interested in Verdugo if he's willing to take a steep discount or if they aren't able to re-sign Soto but he should be looking for a more lucrative long-term contract than New York is going to offer this offseason. That projection might change if he becomes some sort of postseason hero for the franchise but the odds are stacked against him coming back for another season in the Bronx.

2. Anthony Rizzo

Anthony Rizzo's extended time on the Injured List is a big reason why he wasn't actively included in trade talks ahead of the deadline. Now that he's poised to make his return to the active roster in the next couple of weeks it's putting the Yankees in a difficult position regarding his future.

Rizzo's injury gave relatively unheralded rookie Ben Rice his chance to seize a place on the Major League roster. He hasn't lit the world on fire as a Yankee, but Rice has flashed some nice moments for such an inexperienced player. He came up through the organization as a catcher but has learned to play defense at first base rapidly. That versatility gives him an advantage over Rizzo in the team's long-term plans.

The team can dodge making an early decision on Rizzo's future by delaying his return to the big leagues until September 1st. He could come up via one of the team's expanded roster spots. That would allow Cashman and his staff to kick the can down the road for another few months.

If Rizzo sees out the final year of his contract with the Yankees they'll need to pay him $17 million. That's a hefty sum for a first baseman who hasn't performed as an above-average hitter for over a full calendar year. On the flipside, New York can part with him via a $6 million buyout if they want to turn the page on the Rizzo era.

Rizzo is a great locker room presence but he's a bloated salary the Yankees can't afford to keep on the books with a Soto extension looming. It would take a shocking performance from him down the stretch to keep him in New York past October.

1. Gleyber Torres

It wasn't that long ago that Gleyber Torres was considered a pillar of the Yankees' future. Unfortunately, his stagnation at the plate combined with his inability to develop defensively has caused him to wear out his welcome in the Bronx. The team's move to acquire Jazz Chisholm at the deadline was a clear choice to give them the flexibility to let Torres walk in free agency.

For all of Torres' faults, he's still got the offensive upside to command a sizeable, multi-year deal in free agency. This is his last season of cost control which means he'll be looking to break the bank in the offseason. The Yankees aren't a team with the financial flexibility to meet his demands.

Things might be different if the team was fully convinced of Torres' mental makeup. His lapses in concentration in the field have vexed the organization for years. Manager Aaron Boone's decision to bench Torres due to his lack of effort on the base paths in recent weeks might ultimately be the death knell to his tenure with the Yankees.

Some fans might view Torres as a player who still possesses star potential but at 27-years-old he should be realizing his full potential. The Yankees might offer him a salary commensurate with the player he is, but someone else will bet on their ability to fix his flaws. Torres will not be the Yankees starting second baseman when Opening Day of the 2025 season rolls around.