Yankees Free-Agency and Trade Blueprint to Salvage the Offseason in 5 Steps

Joel ReuterDec 19, 2025

With the winter meetings in the rearview and the free-agent class steadily dwindling, the New York Yankees have yet to do anything of real consequence this offseason.

Center fielder Trent Grisham accepted his qualifying offer, while role players Ryan Yarbrough and Amed Rosario were brought back on one-year deals. However, the only new addition to the 40-man roster has been Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest, who will compete for one of the final spots in the bullpen this spring.

It's not too late for the Yankees to salvage their stagnant offseason, and here we've proposed five steps to shore up the roster for the 2026 season and make them top-tier contenders once again.

Step 1: Sign OF Kyle Tucker

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Proposed Transaction: Yankees sign Kyle Tucker to a 10-year, $360 million deal in free agency

Let's start with the big one.

A reunion with Cody Bellinger still remains a real possibility, but he's probably not going to sign until Kyle Tucker makes his decision, and the Yankees are still very much in the running for the top overall player in the 2025-26 free-agent class.

With a silky smooth left-handed swing and consistently high fly-ball rates, Tucker has an offensive profile built for Yankee Stadium, but his contributions stretch well beyond power production as he is a former Gold Glove winner and a perennial 30/30 threat.

All the talk of a quiet offseason will instantly cease if the Yankees reel in the biggest fish on the market.

Backup Plan: Re-sign Cody Bellinger

Step 2: Trade OF Jasson Domínguez to the Marlins for SP Edward Cabrera

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Proposed Transaction: Yankees acquire SP Edward Cabrera from the Marlins for OF Jasson Domínguez

If the Yankees land Kyle Tucker or bring back Cody Bellinger, the outfield would be set, as they would join Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge in the starting lineup, leaving former top prospect Jasson Domínguez as a potential trade chip.

Still only 22 years old, Domínguez posted a 101 OPS+ with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and 23 steals over 123 games in his first full season in the majors, and he has long been regarded as a potential future star.

However, he logged a middling .618 OPS with five extra-base hits in 120 plate appearances after the All-Star break and was a non-factor down the stretch, so the Yankees could opt to move him while upside still drives his value.

Flipping him to an offense-needy team in the Marlins in exchange for Edward Cabrera would fill a spot in the starting rotation to help bridge the gap to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón returning.

Cabrera, 27, had a career year in 2025 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 150 strikeouts in 137.2 innings, and he would be more than just a short-term addition with club control through 2028.

Backup Plan: Trade Jasson Domínguez to the Reds for Brady Singer, Chase Petty

Step 3: Sign 1B Rhys Hoskins

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Proposed Transaction: Yankees sign 1B Rhys Hoskins to a one-year, $7.5 million deal in free agency

The Yankees essentially used Paul Goldschmidt as a platoon player against left-handed pitching down the stretch last season, and pairing Ben Rice with a right-handed hitting veteran is a logical approach to addressing first base.

Rice, 26, enjoyed a breakout season in 2025 with a 131 OPS+ and 26 home runs, but he hit just .208/.271/.481 with a 27.7 percent strikeout rate in 119 plate appearances against southpaws.

Veteran Rhys Hoskins failed to live up to the two-year, $34 million deal he signed with the Brewers, but he is still a legitimate power threat, and his .882 OPS in 1,012 career plate appearances against lefties makes him the ideal target for the Yankees.

The fit here comes down to whether Hoskins would prefer a platoon role on a contender or an everyday role on a team further down the leaguewide picture.

Backup Plan: Sign Justin Turner

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Step 4: Sign RP Tyler Kinley

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Proposed Transaction: Yankees sign RP Tyler Kinley to a one-year, $4 million deal in free agency

Tyler Kinley might not be a name that jumps off the page to most fans, but he was lights-out after joining the Atlanta Braves in a deadline deal with the Colorado Rockies.

The 34-year-old had a 5.66 ERA in 47.2 innings at the time of the trade, but logged a fantastic 0.72 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and a .126 opponents' batting average in 25 innings following the deal.

He led the Rockies with 12 saves in 2024, so he has some late-inning experience, but he would slot in as a middle reliever to help add some needed depth to a Yankees bullpen that lost Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Mark Leiter Jr. and Ian Hamilton all from the right side.

Backup Plan: Sign Seranthony Domínguez

Step 5: Sign RP Danny Coulombe

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Proposed Transaction: Yankees sign RP Danny Coulombe to a one-year, $4 million deal in free agency

The Yankees only had three lefty relievers make more than 10 appearances out of the bullpen in 2025, and that trio returns as the team's top current options from the left side:

Tim Hill: 70 G, 15 HLD, 3.09 ERA, 5.0 K/9, 67.0 IP
Ryan Yarbrough: 19 G, 8 GS, 4.36 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 64.0 IP
Brent Headrick: 17 G, 1 HLD, 3.13 ERA, 11.7 K/9, 23.0 IP

Hill and Yarbrough are both pitch-to-contact guys, while Headrick has just 32 career appearances in the big leagues, leaving the relief corps without a proven late-inning southpaw.

Danny Coulombe had a 2.30 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 43 innings with the Twins and Rangers last season, and entering his age-36 season, he should be affordable. The one-year, $4 million deal 37-year-old Drew Pomeranz signed with the Angels likely set his earning power.

Backup Plan: Sign Taylor Rogers