For a team that came within one playoff round of getting to the World Series, the Yankees could look significantly different next season.
No, Aaron Boone isn’t going anywhere after Hal Steinbrenner told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the Yankees manager would be back, and all indications are Brian Cashman will be back as general manager. But regardless of who’s in charge, the lopsided loss to the Astros in the ALCS has created a storm of uncertainty around the organization. There are important decisions to make at nearly every spot on the roster — especially when it comes to an offense that came up small in the postseason.
First base
Anthony Rizzo and his left-handed power are invaluable to the Yankees, and a reunion is possible — perhaps even probable — because the Yankees don’t have a good alternative. But he has a $16 million player option for next season that he’s not expected to exercise, which would make him a free agent.
Second base
Gleyber Torres is coming off a wildly inconsistent season at the plate and a dud of a postseason. He’s due at least $9 million in arbitration. It’s unclear what the Yankees could get in a trade for Torres, who turns 26 in December, but they could use DJ LeMahieu at second base if they wanted to move on from Torres.
Third base
If LeMahieu isn’t shifted to second, the Yankees could go with him at third, but that would mean finding a taker for Josh Donaldson and the final year of his albatross of a contract. Donaldson’s dismal first season with the Yankees was followed by an even worse playoffs. He is due nearly $30 million next season with a $21 million salary and an $8 million buyout of a $16 million option for 2024.
Shortstop
Isiah Kiner-Falefa was benched during the playoffs then brought back in the middle of the ALCS, a back-and-forth that showed the Yankees had lost faith in his defense. Boone said Kiner-Falefa was “pressing.”
Kiner-Falefa himself was left wondering about his Yankees future while in the post-game clubhouse after the Game 4 defeat to Houston.
If it’s not Kiner-Falefa at shortstop, the Yankees could go with some combination of Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza until top prospect Anthony Volpe — who finished the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — is deemed ready.
Because the organization is higher on Volpe, the 22-year-old Peraza — who was left off the ALDS roster, started an ALCS game and was otherwise glued to the bench — could be part of a deal if the Yankees look to trade for an outfielder or starting pitcher.
The wild card
That infield mess leaves LeMahieu, who could wind up anywhere from first base to second base to third base to a super-utility role. But after suffering through a second straight injury-plagued season since signing a six-year, $90 million deal prior to the 2021 campaign, there’s no guarantee how healthy he’ll be after addressing the toe injuries that cost him much of the second half, as well as the entire playoffs.
Catcher
The Yankees overused Jose Trevino, who was less effective on both sides of the ball down the stretch, but figures to be back. With Kyle Higashioka due a raise to close to $2 million in arbitration, the Yankees could turn to Ben Rortvedt as a backup.
Outfield
Whether Aaron Judge is in The Bronx or not, of course, is the biggest question of all.
If the Yankees opt to sign their best player to a megadeal that is now expected to need to be upwards of eight years and $320 million following Judge’s historic season, they’ll likely not add much else. If Judge leaves, however, all bets are off.
They’ll still have Harrison Bader in center, but they’ll need a left fielder, unless they want to use Cabrera there on a regular basis, though his 2-for-28 hitting performance with a dozen strikeouts to end the playoffs is reason for concern.
Andrew Benintendi could fill the role, and the Yankees still believe a healthy Benintendi — as well as a healthy LeMahieu and Matt Carpenter — would have made a difference against the Astros’ hard-throwing right-handers in the ALCS. But Benintendi also is a free agent. Aaron Hicks’ Yankees future is unclear, even with three years and $30 million remaining on his contract.
Then there is Giancarlo Stanton, who will be 33 next month and likely will have to be just about a full-time DH.
Starting rotation
This is one area that seems fairly set, with Gerrit Cole back, Nestor Cortes three years away from free agency, Luis Severino a safe bet to come back on a $15 million team option and Frankie Montas hoping to come back strong from a shoulder injury that rendered him ineffective after arriving in a trade from Oakland. Jameson Taillon is a free agent.
Bullpen
Gone will be disappointing high-priced lefties Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman, so there will be need to be some key additions to join Jonathan Loaisiga, Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes, the only three trustworthy relievers by the end of the postseason.
What to do with Clarke Schmidt?
The first-round pick was finally healthy in 2022, and at times was a valuable piece of the pitching staff as a starter and reliever. But the right-hander had plenty of ups and downs. From being yo-yo’d between The Bronx and Triple-A early in the season to pitching poorly in key spots late in the summer and in the playoffs, it’s hard to know what’s next for Schmidt, who will turn 27 in February.
There is some thought Schmidt could be in consideration for a spot at the back of the rotation next year. The Yankees need depth there after they traded away many of the advanced minor leaguers who might have served that role next season. They shipped Ken Waldichuk and JP Sears to Oakland and Hayden Wesneski to the Cubs at the trade deadline.
Benchings can be deceiving
Here’s a fun game no one wants to play: Who was the Yankees’ third-best hitter in the postseason, as measured by OPS?
Would you believe…Isiah Kiner-Falefa?
Yup, that’s how bad the Yankees offense was in the playoffs.
The guy who got benched and hardly hit all year had an OPS of .683, ahead of Stanton, Donaldson, Judge and Torres.