The New York Yankees have been linked to stars such as Juan Soto and Yoshinobu Yamamoto this offseason. New York is not forgetting about depth though. The Yankees are reportedly “one of many teams” interested in relief pitcher Wandy Peralta, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The Yankees bullpen was their strength in 2023. New York needs to address their offense and starting rotation. That said, maintaining bullpen productivity is certainly not a bad idea.

Peralta is a veteran 32-year-old left-handed reliever. He offers flexibility out of the bullpen, and does a good job of keeping hitters off-balance. Peralta has quietly impressed over the past few seasons, posting ERAs of under 3.00 each year since 2021 with the Yankees.

He finished the 2023 campaign with a 2.83 ERA across 63 appearances. Peralta's 63 games pitched was the second highest mark of his career, trailing only his 2017 season with the Cincinnati Reds when he appeared in 69 games.

Peralta is not the kind of pitcher to blow hitters away with a blazing fastball. He is reliable and durable though, two extremely important attributes of a key reliever. It is not surprising to see Heyman write that “many teams” are interested in Wandy Peralta.

Yankees in MLB free agency

Yankees' Wandy Peralta pitching a baseball.

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Juan Soto trade rumors have dominated Yankees headlines this offseason. New York may still utilize MLB free agency to bolster their roster after missing the playoffs in 2023.

As mentioned earlier, the Yankees are interested in signing Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Cody Bellinger is another free agent whom New York has been connected to.

Adding offense is arguably New York's most important priority this offseason. The Yankees' lineup struggled mightily throughout the 2023 campaign. Aaron Judge performed well once again, but he was limited due to injury.

Adding Shohei Ohtani would surely appeal to New York, but they have not been mentioned as a legitimate suitor for the two-way phenom in recent reports. Perhaps they will surprise the MLB world and make Ohtani a lucrative offer.

If not, expect the Yankees to add a plethora of bats with potential. Meanwhile, they will continue looking for key depth in players such as Wandy Peralta.