Yankees in Need of Left Fielder and Bullpen Help

The club has missed out on a handful of free agents in left field, including Andrew Benintendi, whom New York acquired in a deadline trade with the Kansas City Royals last summer. He played 33 games for the Yankees before breaking a wrist in early September. Benintendi recently agreed to a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox — a length the Yankees did not want to go to with Benintendi, a contact-oriented lefty swinger.

While many of the top free agents are now off the board, one remaining option is Michael Conforto, 29, a former mainstay of the Mets who missed the entire 2022 season after shoulder surgery and carries with him a sense of uncertainty. Outfielders that have been featured in trade rumors include Bryan Reynolds, 27, a star center fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and a group of three young Diamondbacks players: Daulton Varsho, 26 — who can also play catcher — Alek Thomas, 22, and Jake McCarthy, 25.

All of those players hit from the left side or are switch-hitters. The same goes for three internal candidates Cashman mentioned: Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Estevan Florial. However, Hicks is coming off a poor campaign and is injury prone, while Cabrera, who made his major league debut in 2022, limited outfield experience and may be best served in a utility role. Florial, 25, has never had big league success, though his chances have been limited.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/23/sports/baseball/hal-steinbrenner-yankees.html