Something has to change for the New York Yankees.
That much is clear after they were bounced out of the playoffs by the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Game.
So The Athletic’s Jim Bowden rolled up his sleeves and went to work, building a five-point plan to overhaul the Yankees.
Promote GM Brian Cashman to president of baseball operations and allow him to hire a general manager.
Takeaway: It’s been more than a decade since the Yankees last appeared in the World Series. Yes, the Yankees have remained competitive and are a perennial postseason participant. And yes, finding a new voice to run the front office on a daily basis might make sense to get the team back to the promised land. But it’s hard to picture Cashman giving up that kind of control over the roster, especially if Aaron Boone, his hand-picked manager, returns in 2022.
Target center fielder Starling Marte, shortstop Corey Seager and starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Robbie Ray in free agency.
Takeaway: Yes, all four of those players would look great in pinstripes. But remember, the Yankees still have a pair of $300-million contracts on the payroll and right-fielder Aaron Judge is due for a long-term contract extension. Anthony Rizzo could complicate things if the Yankees try to re-sign the slugging first baseman, who will be looking for a nine-figure contract of his own. Which leads us to the third part of the plan ...
Trade first baseman Luke Voit, second baseman Gleyber Torres and right-handed pitcher Domingo Germán to the Oakland Athletics for first baseman Matt Olson.
Takeaway: This isn’t the first time the Yankees have been linked to Olson. But giving up on Torres might not make sense, given his turnaround in the field and at the plate after his move back to second base.
Trade outfielder Clint Frazier and third baseman Miguel Andújar to the Miami Marlins for right-handed starting pitcher Pablo López if his medicals are cleared.
Takeaway: The Yankees have soured on Andujar, who remains a man without a position. Frazier once seemed like a cornerstone piece, but he might be better off starting over elsewhere.
Trade top right-handed pitching prospects Deivi García and Yoendrys Gómez along with catcher Gary Sánchez to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Willson Contreras.
Takeaway: The Cubs are expected to make Contreras available this offseason. And moving on from Sanchez, who struggled for the second straight season, seems like a no-brainer. Losing Garcia, who also struggled in 2021, would be a small price to pay for an All-Star catcher like Contreras.
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If the Yankees follow Bowden’s plan, the end result would be a younger and deeper roster, but one which would challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for the highest payroll in MLB.
Is it likely all five of these things will happen? No. But with the Yankees, we’ve learned to never say never.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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