Yankees Can Still Salvage This Season With Three Moves
The Yankees are at a crossroads: their passive free-agency strategy has left them behind, while key rivals have aggressively strengthened. As others seize opportunities to build for October, the Yankees’ hesitance risks defining their offseason and their standing in the AL East. The stakes are high; while stars like Tucker and Bichette have already been claimed, the Bombers watch from the sidelines. This inaction could mean missing out on every significant free agent, relegating the Yankees to another year of mediocrity and frustration. However, the team still controls its own fate. By acting decisively and targeting three key moves, the Yankees can reestablish themselves as true contenders in a revitalized AL East and salvage both their offseason and their trajectory.
First, the Yankees must close the deal with Bellinger. With Tucker and Bichette off the board, Bellinger is the last available star bat. He’s coming off a resurgent season in which he hit .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and 160 hits, which was second on the team. In addition, Cody offers Gold Glove defense in all three outfield spots and first base and much-needed left-handed power. Bellinger should have already been signed, but now the Yankees may need to add an extra year or more money to fend off the Mets or Blue Jays. With Aaron Judge as the lone attraction and season ticket sales lagging, Bellinger is the only marquee player left who can boost both the lineup and the box office.
Next, the Yankees need a right-handed power bat to balance their lineup and prevent opposing teams from stacking lefty pitchers. Eugenio Suárez fits this need perfectly. Last season with the Diamondbacks, Suárez hit 22 home runs and drove in 78 runs, while playing a solid third base, posting a .974 fielding percentage. He brings postseason experience and can split time at third with Ryan McMahon or serve as DH when Giancarlo Stanton is sidelined. Suárez’s career .461 slugging percentage and ability to protect Judge in the lineup make him an ideal addition to a team that desperately needs another big bat.
Finally, the Yankees must address their depleted starting rotation. With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón sidelined to start the year, the need for a frontline starter is glaring. The Yankees passed on Tatsuya Imai and settled for Ryan Weathers, but that won’t cut it. Freddy Peralta of the Brewers is the reported target. Peralta posted a 3.86 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and racked up 210 strikeouts over 165.2 innings last season. He held opponents to a .209 average and owns a swing-and-miss arsenal that would anchor the staff if Cole or Rodón falter. Acquiring Peralta will cost a haul of prospects and young arms like Will Warren or Luis Gil, but the upgrade is worth the price for a legitimate playoff push.
By making these three moves, locking in Bellinger, adding Suárez’s right-handed power, and trading for a proven starter like Peralta, the Yankees could transform their roster from stagnant to dangerous. Bellinger and Suárez would immediately lengthen the lineup, while Peralta would stabilize a shaky rotation and buy time for prospects like Ben Rice or Cam Schlittler to fully emerge. With these targeted acquisitions, the Yankees would shed their window-shopper reputation and re-enter the AL East race with renewed purpose. For a franchise on the edge, these are the moves that could save their season, and maybe their future.
