NYY News: Any takers for Josh Donaldson?

Jan 26, 2023 - 5:00 AM

NJ Advance Media | Mike Rosenstein: The Yankees are unlikely to make further external additions to the roster barring a trade that would free up space on the payroll. They are most determined to try to move Josh Donaldson and the $21 million he is owed in 2023, but that hefty sum in addition to his cratered offensive value make finding a trade partner a near-impossible task. Teams would likely be more interested in Gleyber Torres, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman has indicated that he will not make subtractions from the roster purely to shed money, instead looking to recoup value in return to replace the outbound player.

MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: In recent weeks, we’ve analyzed the various internal options to fill in for Frankie Montas in the rotation as he’s set to miss the first month with shoulder inflammation, and now MLBTR have tried their hand at the exercise. Domingo Germán and Clarke Schmidt stand out as the most obvious options to deputize as fifth starter given their stretches of effectiveness at the big league level. However, other players could be given a shot, with the author identifying Deivi García, Luis Gil, Randy Vasquez, Matt Krook, Jhony Brito, Yoendrys Gomez, Clayton Beeter, Sean Boyle, Mitch Spence, and Tanner Tully as candidates with an outside shot.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty (subscription required): The Yankees enter the 2023 season with an intriguing set of competitions lined up. Left field, third base, shortstop, and second base all come with varying levels of uncertainty with DJ LeMahieu returning from injury and the trio of Josh Donaldson, Aaron Hicks, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa failing to provide meaningful contributions on offense last season.

Kuty makes some bold predictions for the starting lineup, with LeMahieu starting at second, Oswald Peraza at short, Donaldson at third, and Hicks in left, leaving Gleyber Torres and Oswaldo Cabrera on the bench come March 30th. On the pitching side, Kuty expects Domingo Germán to be named fifth starter in Frankie Montas’ absence, Albert Abreu and Matt Krook to round out the bullpen, and Clarke Schmidt to start the season at Triple-A given the lack of minor-league options for the aforementioned trio of Germán, Abreu, and Krook.

Sports Illustrated | Patrick McAvoy: Zack Britton finds himself back on the free agent market following the expiration of his Yankees contract, and no fewer than nine teams could show interest in his services. The Red Sox are the team most strongly linked to the 35-year-old southpaw as they have just one lefty reliever on the 40-man roster (another ex-Yankee in Joely Rodríguez). Given the way his Yankees tenure ended and the current state of New York’s payroll, a reunion in the Bronx remains unlikely.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Left field remains the most unsettled position on the Yankees’ roster and Jurickson Profar is left as the most impactful option on the free agent market. However, New York’s desire to remain below the “Steve Cohen Tax” renders a Profar signing unlikely as their payroll is already right up against the final $293 million threshold. What’s more, Cashman recently indicated while speaking with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that Aaron Hicks is all but guaranteed to be the team’s starting left fielder.