2) The Yankees should steal Hector Neris from the Astros after Houston signed Josh Hader
With Hader going to Houston, chances are, Hector Neris won't be going back there, thus opening the door for the Yankees to swoop in and sign the right-hander.
Neris is coming off a career year which saw him post a 1.71 ERA in 71 appearances and 68.1 innings pitched. While it's unreasonable to expect Neris to have that low of an ERA again, he'd bring remarkable durability to a Yankees bullpen that lacks it. The right-hander has made at least 68 appearances in each full season (excluding 2020) since 2019. No Yankees reliever has hit that mark a single time since the 2019 season.
Neris has experience in just about any role in the bullpen. He closed for the Phillies, and worked in middle relief for Houston. He'd be valuable in just about any role for the Yankees, although the closer's spot is Clay Holmes' to lose.
Now, the Yankees absolutely should not match the three-year commitment worth $50 million that Hector Gomez says Neris is seeking, but if they can get the 34-year-old on a two-year deal worth a bit north of $10 million that'd make a lot of sense. He was excellent in Houston's run to the World Series in 2022, and while he had a couple of hiccups this past postseason, he was dominant in the regular season. Neris would give the Yankees bullpen added durability and reliability. He'd also potentially be out for blood against his former team. An added bonus.