Following yet another playoff-less season for the New York Yankees, they just might go out and spend big in free agency this offseason.
In last year’s offseason, we saw something from the New York Yankees that we did not see in a very long time. They did not go after a single top free agent and passed on all of the top starting pitchers.
Over his tenure as the Yankees GM, Brian Cashman has signed many very successful free agents as well as some that led to a World Series trophy to the Bronx.
Some of these signings were for players like CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett, and Andrew Miller, just to name a few.
With the team finishing just a few games short of the playoffs last season, could we see the Yankees go all out in free agency this offseason in free agency and bring some veterans to go along with the baby bombers?
Let’s take a look at some of the potential signees:
NEXT: Greg Holland
Greg Holland
Greg Holland, a name that will surely be circulating a lot between many major league teams this offseason. Holland is coming off a recent Tommy John surgery but it has not stopped teams from already pursuing him for a deal, including the Yankees.
A few weeks ago the team made their first step in signing the right-hander when they made an appearance at his showcase in Scottsdale, Arizona. The club was very impressed with what they saw from Holland which leaves many to believe that he could be a good fit in New York.
In his six years in the major leagues, the longtime Royal has a 2.42 ERA with 145 saves and was elite prior to his injury-plagued 2015 campaign.
It is certainly possible that the Bronx Bombers could find a way to have Holland pitching in pinstripes next season. It would be a move that would involve low risk and high reward and would certainly improve the depth in the bullpen.
Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltran should once again be, and already is, on the Yankees radar as far as free agency goes. Beltran signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the club prior to the 2014 season that recently expired at the end of last season.
The two sides are very familiar with each other, especially considering that the switch-hitter spent two and a half seasons in the Bronx. He was the only bright spot for the Bombers in the first half of 2016 and was the only reason fans had the slightest bit of hope for a winning season.
The 39-year-old slugger would slash .304/.344/.546 with 21 home runs before being traded to the Texas Rangers on the day of the trade deadline. Despite only being on the team for half a season, he would still finish the season leading the team in home runs.
The Yankees have already shown interest in the veteran thus far and are even in the final four landing spots for him according to WEEI.
Aroldis Chapman
Sorry folks, we know that you’re tired of hearing about him already but you knew that Aroldis Chapman was going to find his way onto the list. New York is the odds-on favorite to land the flamethrower and there are many mixed reactions from the New York fanbase.
Chapman will be entering his age 29 season and is the hardest throwing pitcher in MLB history, yes, history. He has hit 105 mph on the radar gun as recent as last season and has not shown any signs of slowing down at all. Due to this outstanding amount of talent, he is demanding quite the contract in free agency, to say the least.
The Cuban-born pitcher is reportedly seeking a $100 million dollar deal over a long period of time. If he does get the amount of money he is seeking then it would be the most amount of money spent on a relief pitcher ever, blowing the Jonathan Papelbon deal right out of the water.
That is the key reason why many fans have turned against the idea of reuniting with the left-hander, because of the ridiculous amount of money as well as committing to a pitcher who relies on velocity long-term.
Matt Holliday
Here is a player that many teams should not sleep on while heading into free agency, Matt Holliday. Holliday will be entering the season as a 37-year old but that should not stop the Yankees from pursuing the veteran.
In 2016, the right-handed hitter sported a slash line of .246/.322/.461 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI’s while playing in only 110 games. This could be considered a “down” year in the terms of the success he has had throughout his career but his bat would certainly be beneficial to the Bombers.
When Holliday was with the Cardinals it was difficult for him to stay healthy due to the fact that there is no DH and if he wanted to hit then he had to play the field. In New York, he could simply take the role as the Yankees designated hitter for the next couple of years and prove to be a veteran presence in the clubhouse as well for all of the upcoming young talent.
This could possibly be the biggest signing of the offseason if Brian Cashman realizes this bat that is out there that everyone is sleeping on. So Cashman, if you are reading this, do your entire fan base a favor this offseason and go out and sign Matt Holliday.