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By most metrics, the New York Yankees had a successful season in 2024. The Bronx Bombers won 94 games and made it to the World Series, where they ran out of steam against the buzzsaw Los Angeles Dodgers.
Brian Cashman will look to retool his squad this offseason and make another run at the Fall Classic. While the Yankees’ number one priority is undoubtedly re-signing Juan Soto, they also need to address third base.
One name that has been gaining traction in the Bronx is St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, but New York's front office would be better off going in a different direction. Let’s find out why.
Yankees have seen this movie before
For many years, the Yankees' approach to filling holes on the roster has been signing or trading for overpriced, high-profile veterans who are on the wrong side of 30. Think of Josh Donaldson as a perfect example of this poor approach. Trading for Nolan Arenado would just be borrowing a page from that same failed playbook.
One of the biggest problems for the past half-decade, if not longer, has been the team’s lack of athleticism and the fact that the roster is filled with older players who frequently suffer injuries. Guys miss way too much time and struggle to run the bases when they are on the field.
New York hasn't been a dynamic base-running team at all in the Aaron Judge era, but now that is finally starting to change with the additions of players such as Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm, and Jasson Dominguez.
It would be a mistake to double down on a failed strategy by trading assets in exchange for an older player who doesn’t run well and has a somewhat concerning history of injuries. The Yankees have to learn from their mistakes with Donaldson and not repeat them this winter by trading for Arenado.
For years, Cashman has tried repeatedly to follow a failing formula. He’ll try to prove that he is the smartest person in the room by either bringing in a big name that another team wants to discard, or he’ll look to acquire a player who has flown under the radar and has been discarded by all other teams. That approach tells the world that Cashman thinks that he can see something nobody else does, and to his credit, it has worked out occasionally.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Cashman has failed with these bargain-hunting missions more often than he has succeeded. New York will bring in a big name only to find that the tank is empty more often than not. Trying to pull off a trade for Arenado would be more of the same, and Cashman‘s track record indicates that this deal is unlikely to be successful.
It would just end up being another inefficient use of Hal Steinbrenner’s cash. That is why Cashman must switch things up and not try to go for the big-name target that he feels the market is undervaluing. It’s time for Cashman to admit that the market is right in its value of a player more often than he is. If the Cardinals are willing to let Arenado go, especially for a discounted price, there’s probably a good reason for that, which Cashman is either unaware of or is ignoring.
They can fill this position in-house
The Yankees have plenty of options to fill this position in-house, whether that is somebody who is already on the major league roster or by promoting a prospect from within their farm system.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was acquired at the 2024 trade deadline and quickly emerged as a talented player and a potential option for the future. His bat played well in Yankee Stadium, and he has the tools to be an elite defender at the hot corner.
Chisholm has an extremely strong arm and can throw out speedy runners even when he’s throwing off of his back foot and isn’t able to put power on the throw through the momentum of his body. His fielding ability is the biggest thing he must work on to play the hot corner in New York.
He has decent instincts, an incredibly strong arm, and he is incredibly athletic, but the former Miami Marlins star still needs to work on some of the fundamentals of the position. This was never more clear than in the worst possible moment, as Chisholm struggled to complete a play in the pivotal fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series.
The Yankees also have no shortage of young prospects down on the farm they could call up. Oswald Peraza has never been given a fair shake in the Bronx, and that is a travesty and an absolute shame. It’s incredibly unfair to Peraza, and he has earned the chance to compete for a starting role with the big league club.
Caleb Durbin is another player who could be in line for a promotion, and George Lombard Jr. could be an option in the future, along with Roderick Arias, a highly touted five-tool prospect from the Dominican Republic. Arias signed with the Yankees for a $4 million signing bonus as an international free agent, and Lombard was the team’s first-round draft pick in 2023, which shows how highly the Yankees think of both players.
There are other, better trade options available
Ryan McMahon is not as popular of a name as Nolan Arenado, but he will likely be available on the market for a lower price point and has just as much upside as the veteran star. McMahon is less likely to face major injuries, has a consistent track record, and has plenty of power upside.
If Cashman wants to take a chance on an under-the-radar option, Yoan Moncada would be another option, and Moncada would be easy to move on from if he doesn’t work out in New York.
