I’m positive that Yankees followers are effectively and really bored with listening to about Juan Soto. We get it, he likes the opposite New York crew extra. So don’t fear, pals. I received’t point out Juan Soto, unparalleled hitting genius, after this paragraph. Positive, the ghost of Juan Soto, signer of the largest contract in skilled sports activities historical past, may inform the remainder of the strikes the Yankees are making. Positive, not signing celebrity Juan Soto after his incandescent 2024 season makes all the remainder of the crew’s strikes really feel minor. However once more, you received’t see the phrases “Juan Soto” after this occasion, so let’s get to the strikes the Yankees are making to bolster their crew within the aftermath of shedding one of many brightest stars within the sport.
Signing Paul Goldschmidt
The Yankees are going to want some offense in the event that they wish to substitute Jua – whoa, nearly broke my very own rule proper out of the gate. Uh… the Yankees are going to want some offense, interval. They had been a top-heavy crew final yr between Aaron Decide and his operating mate, title tastefully withheld. Giancarlo Stanton’s playoff surge however, the present roster simply didn’t have that a lot juice past Decide. Positive, including Cody Bellinger was good, however they wanted to do extra. Paul Goldschmidt, signed for one yr and $12.5 million, is unquestionably extra, it’s only a query of how a lot after his bummer of a 2024 season.
As Michael Baumann detailed earlier this winter, Goldschmidt’s beforehand dependable manufacturing tanked final season. As Michael additionally identified, he wasn’t half unhealthy within the second half, with a 120 wRC+ and fully acceptable peripherals underpinning it. That’s not far off from what Steamer initiatives for Goldschmidt this yr – they’ve him at a 114 wRC+ and as roughly a mean participant consequently.
Which may not sound like a giant addition in a vacuum, however think about the context of the Yankees. Final yr, hitters enjoying first base for New York compiled a .216/.284/.335 batting line, good for a 76 wRC+. Goldschmidt’s abysmal first half, the one which had individuals pondering he was fully cooked? He hit .230/.291/.373 for an 87 wRC+. If we’re speaking about enhancements over final yr, attending to play a plus bat as an alternative of a gaping gap on the best defensive place on the sector sounds fairly good.
In fact, Goldschmidt may completely reside right down to final yr’s crop of first basemen, however I don’t suppose it’s notably doubtless. He’s not what he as soon as was, however neither did he look completely overmatched in 2024. He nonetheless launched 22 homers and made constantly loud contact. He swung and missed greater than he ever has in an try and maintain that energy, and he walked at a career-low charge consequently. That’s scary. If he put up a sub-100 wRC+ season, I wouldn’t be terribly shocked.
However I additionally wouldn’t be terribly shocked if he had a resurgent yr. We’re speaking a few star enjoying out the top of the string, not a washed-up never-was. Goldschmidt has made changes all through his profession, rebounding to prominence after down years. He’s prepared to alter his bat or his swing or his preparation to maintain bettering, and whereas previous efficiency is not any assure of future outcomes, I’d somewhat guess on a rebound season from a man with 56 profession WAR and an MVP trophy than a lot of the different choices obtainable anyplace close to Goldschmidt’s worth vary.
One purpose for slight optimism: Goldschmidt has hardly ever missed a sport all through his profession. He’s performed in no less than 150 video games yearly since breaking his hand in 2014 (setting apart his 58 video games within the COVID-shortened 2020 season). He’s 14th in plate appearances during the last three years, with solely Freddie Freeman enjoying greater than him at near his age. Now that he’s on a task participant’s deal as an alternative of a celebrity contract and implied captain’s C, he’ll undoubtedly play much less, and hopefully that further relaxation will do him good. It additionally certainly received’t damage that he’ll get platooned extra in New York than he did in St. Louis (by no means), giving him a good matchup in opposition to lefties extra continuously. Would a 130 wRC+ bounce-back shock you? If it occurred, I’m fairly positive you’d simply nod your head and say “yeah, sounds proper for a man like him.”
Is that probably the most thrilling signing on this planet? No. But it surely’s a sensible one, even when Goldschmidt is one other righty within the lineup behind Decide. In need of simply spending more cash (hey, not a foul answer!), I feel that the Yankees did fairly effectively at rebuilding their offense. I’ve a tough time seeing a participant extra more likely to ship a really difference-making offensive season. Because of Goldschmidt’s conventional look, we’ll additionally get to see how a lot stubble nonetheless constitutes “no beard.” I wouldn’t say that that is my favourite signing of the offseason, however I actually suppose it’s an inexpensive one.
Buying Fernando Cruz
My dad is a talkative card participant. We’ve performed a good variety of video games of bridge in my lifetime, and practically each time he makes a play that improves his hand by transferring the lead round, he’ll chuckle to himself and say “key unblocking maneuver!”, often with the thrill I’d reserve for locating a superb parking area at Costco or successful the lottery. Doesn’t matter whether or not he performed the most effective hand of his life or landed on one thing a first-grader would have seen, the enjoyment is real. My level is that I can completely think about Brian Cashman saying “key unblocking maneuver!” and laughing a lot he bounced in his chair after buying and selling Jose Trevino to the Reds for Fernando Cruz and Alex Jackson.
Trevino was a fantastic change of surroundings candidate. He’s an elite framer, unquestionably probably the greatest in baseball. The much less stated about his bat and throwing arm, nevertheless, the higher. Lately, that’s meant reducing enjoying time because the Yankees hunt for extra offense. Austin Wells is now the on a regular basis starter, which left Trevino as an under-utilized backup. He notched 1.6 WAR in simply 74 video games (234 PA) final yr. He’s adequate defensively to no less than be in a time share, however the Yankees wished to present Wells the full-time starter function. In order that they traded Trevino for an improve elsewhere on the roster and a extra appropriate backup catcher.
The improve elsewhere? That’d be Cruz, splitter service provider and LIDOM legend. Cruz’s main league profession is both distinctive (3.07 FIP, 3.1 WAR in 147 innings) or mediocre (4.52 ERA, 0.9 RA9-WAR) relying on what you make of his underlying statistics. He strikes out greater than a 3rd of the batters he faces, walks a ton extra, and mainly throws his splitter whether or not it is smart or not.
I land extra on the distinctive facet of the argument, for what it’s value. I feel that Cruz’s BABIP and strand charges are most likely simply random blips, and that his means to overlook bats will win out ultimately. I wouldn’t need him because the nearer of a playoff membership, however 160 relievers threw 50 or extra innings in 2024, and Cruz was sixth in strikeout charge. I’m pretty sure that the Yankees can discover a approach to flip that standout ability right into a helpful reliever, notably on condition that he’ll be third or so within the bullpen pecking order. Latest vintages of Yankees groups have been constructed round wonderful bullpens, and including Cruz to help Devin Williams and Luke Weaver is an efficient approach to keep away from a repeat of the 2024 playoffs, when Aaron Boone referred to as on his prime two relievers in each sport with out fail as a result of he didn’t actually belief anybody else.
Now, is Jackson a downgrade from Trevino? Undoubtedly. He’s a roughly substitute stage participant – competent however unexciting protection, however offense worse even than Trevino. Positive, it’s a small pattern, however he’s a profession .132/.224/.232 hitter. The Reds signed him as a minor league free agent this winter, actually; he by no means even performed a sport for them. Possibly the Yankees will find yourself calling up a minor leaguer, or possibly they’ll use Jackson sparingly and provides Wells an enormous workload. Both means, he’s a minor throw-in on the commerce, however a helpful one for New York if he can provide them some competent innings behind the apparent starter.
One crew’s key unblocking maneuver – the Yankees turned an overqualified backup catcher into an thrilling reliever – can be one other crew’s treasure. Trevino is a very good participant! He’s too good to be a pure backup. Cincinnati gave Tyler Stephenson the lion’s share of time behind the plate in 2024, and he was, to place it optimistically, beneath common. His expertise lie within the batter’s field, not 16 inches behind it. He’s a poor receiver, an detached blocker, and a poor thrower.
He may be marginally higher than Trevino at controlling the operating sport, however on the entire, he’s far worse with catcher’s gear on, and I feel that the Reds would love to present him extra of a breather at DH or first base once they can. We’re speaking a few mountain of a person, 6-foot-4 and 225 kilos, who shows phenomenal energy regardless of crouching all sport. There’s a fantastic offensive participant in there someplace, and I feel that the Reds are planning on giving him reps at different positions in an try and lower his put on and tear, and supply their pitching employees some free strikes right here and there.
That stated, I’m not precisely positive the place that enjoying time will come from simply but. Even after buying and selling Jonathan India, the Reds have too many positionless bats. They should discover enjoying time for Stephenson, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, and Jeimer Candelario. However I feel that drawback will largely type itself out – somebody will get injured or hit poorly, and starters want relaxation anyway. If the Reds discover 100-200 plate appearances for Stephenson away from catcher, Trevino will probably be an enormous enhance to their probabilities, and I feel that’s an inexpensive expectation. Our Depth Chart projections agree with me, penciling Stephenson in for 133 plate appearances between DH and first base.
In different phrases – and cease me if you happen to’ve heard this one earlier than – I like this commerce for each groups. The long-term penalties are minor – Trevino is a free agent after this season, and Cruz is a 35-year-old reliever, so extra of a win-now participant than a foundational piece. Be aware: an earlier model of this text incorrectly said that Cruz will probably be a free agent after this season. He’ll be eligible for arbitration, not free company. The web change in expertise is small in each instructions. However I feel that every crew’s roster makes extra sense after this transfer, and it’s onerous to ask for greater than that from a minor commerce.
Now, will these offers make the Yankees neglect in regards to the lefty slugger who shall not be named? Most likely not. However nothing’s going to do this. These are each sensible roster strikes that complement the present crew. The Yankees have already made some splashes this winter. I feel they’ll doubtless make one other transfer or two, and I’ll actually give their entrance workplace grief in the event that they don’t. However not each transfer must be a blockbuster, and each of those get my seal of approval.
