The New York Yankees have a complex financial situation. With roughly $211 million in payroll dedicated to the 2022 MLB season (information per Spotrac), they likely won’t make a free agent splash when the MLB lockout ends. To boot, they have Aaron Judge’s free agency on the horizon.
At the same time, New York has to at least fill some holes and deepen its roster. This is a team that has been trying to break through and win the American League since 2017. In other words, they have to do something, regardless of how eye-popping it is.
Here are two players the New York Yankees should sign after the MLB lockout.
Wily Peralta gives the New York Yankees an extra arm
New York has a respectable pitching staff. There is some uncertainty at the end of manager Aaron Boone’s starting rotation, though, and the bullpen could use bolstering. Peralta is a compelling option for the Yankees.
The 32-year-old came back from the dead in 2021. Prior to his campaign with the Detroit Tigers, Peralta hadn’t made an MLB start since 2017. He would come out of the bullpen and perform at a subpar level. Now he could crack the back half of a contending rotation.
While he labored a bit, Peralta was able to keep the Tigers in games, evade trouble and keep the score down as a member of their rotation last season. The right-hander effectively deployed four pitches: sinker, four-seamer, split-finger fastball and slider. Anyone who can consistently throw that many pitches always has the upside to become a force.
- Wily Peralta stats (2021): 3.07 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 58 strikeouts across 93.2 innings (19 appearances, 18 starts)
Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Jordan Montgomery presumably make up 60 percent of the Yankees’ 2022 rotation. The rest is uncertain. Jameson Taillon is recovering from an ankle injury. Domingo German and Luis Severino came back from injuries towards the end of last season. Can a young starter like Luis Gil or Deivi Garcia come into their own?
Even if one or two of the aforementioned pitchers have a strong showing in spring training, Peralta can compete for a rotation spot given him being a veteran on a team that needs to win. If Peralta doesn’t make the rotation, he gives the Yankees’ bullpen some variety.
Peralta could serve as a long reliever, allowing someone like Chad Green to become a consistent fixture in the late innings, as Zack Britton likely misses most of next season due to an elbow injury. Peralta gives the Yankees more depth and a versatile pitcher, which comes in handy with the overwhelming injury woes they continually endure.
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Robinson Chirinos gives New York Yankees a starting-caliber catcher
The New York Yankees’ biggest mistake with Gary Sanchez is never giving him legitimate competition for the starting job. Chirinos has put together back-to-back tedious seasons but at full force would give the Yankees a starting-caliber backstop.
The veteran catcher is a well-rounded player. He provides a comforting presence behind the plate and is a plausible hitter. Chirinos has a smooth, level swing which generates a reasonable amount of power and slug. He blasted 52 combined home runs with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros from 2017-19.
- Robinson Chirinos stats (2021): .227/.324/.454, five home runs and 15 RBIs across 97 at-bats
Sanchez is capable of being a power threat from the right side, but the Yankees can’t keep handing him the everyday job. If Sanchez is going to be shaky behind the plate and hit .204, like he did last season, there isn’t justification for him being the primary catcher.
Chirinos is a respectable defender who’s a more consistent hitter than Sanchez if given the playing time and has been one of the better offensive catchers in the sport over the last five years. Having a stabilizing force behind the plate who holds his own with the bat improves a team’s offense but also its pitching staff.
The likes of Cole, Cortes, Montgomery and others benefit from having someone who has been there, done that catching them. It prevents runners from getting free bases, leads to better pitcher-catcher communication and provides flow. Plus, Chirinos caught Cole with the Astros in 2019.
Competition can bring out the best in people. Maybe Chirinos getting into a groove pushes Sanchez for the better? It helps Sanchez, who’s entering a walk year, and makes the Yankees better in the short term.