While New York Yankees fans have been underwhelmed with what the team has done this offseason, a current MLB general manager recently explained why they really shouldn’t complain.
NY Yankees fans are used to the club being active and aggressive to improve the roster in the offseason. Heck, they expect it. And that is what the team has done in recent winters, including a trade for Juan Soto and giving Max Fried a record deal for a lefty.
However, this offseason has fallen well below expectations for fans. As rivals like the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays made major additions, the NY Yankees front office pretty much worked to bring back the 2025 edition of the Bronx Bombers.
They gave Trent Grisham a qualifying offer that he accepted. And they re-signed Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. Their most notable addition from outside the organization was their trade for Miami Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers. After being soundly beaten by the Jays in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, it is understandable why some fans are disappointed with what the team did this winter.
Yet, the club’s outlook around the league is strong. In a new report, New York Daily News MLB insider Joel Sherman explained that when asking around about the NY Yankees’ potential in 2026, rival clubs expect them to be one of the American League’s best again. He also received a lengthy quote from one current GM that should put things in perspective.
NY Yankees had a productive offseason?
“I know it’s not exciting to fans to say we are running it back, but they were good last year,” the executive began by saying. “Bellinger is a uniquely good fit for that ballpark. Their offense was awesome last year, and we have them with the Dodgers to be awesome again this year.
“Weathers is a perfect fit because he doesn’t have to give them 150 good innings. If they get 90 from him, that would really help because they may have more pitching coming in June and July [Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole], and we like some of their young [pitching prospects],” he added.
“Winning the offseason is so overrated. If Bellinger played for someone else and they brought him in, that would be viewed as an A-plus move… I look at it, and I wouldn’t have done much differently.”
It should also be noted that the NY Yankees will have Cy Young-winning ace Gerrit Cole back. They will have a full season of key deadline additions Ryan McMahon, David Bednar, and Jose Caballero. Plus, a defined role from the start for talented young slugger Ben Rice.
