Yankees checklist for 2024 MLB Winter Meetings after missing out on Juan Soto

The 2024 MLB Winter Meetings are starting in Dallas, and there’s still so much the Yankees need to do to try to improve their roster ahead of the 2025 season.

So far, the Yanks have not made key a move. They’ve let veterans like Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres seemingly walk, and aside from their continued negotiations on an extension with ace Gerrit Cole, all eyes were on Juan Soto until his decision on the eve of the meetings.

Soto had his best season as a major leaguer in The Bronx, but after helping the Yankees get to their first World Series since 2009, the left-handed slugger explored free agency for the first time and got rewarded handsomely from the local rivals.

Brian Cashman has his work cut out for him. But New York can make plenty of headway at the Winter Meetings.

Here’s what the team needs to address…

The Juan Soto fallout

The No. 1 priority for the Yankees was Soto. With his trading The Bronx for Queens, the Yankees have their work cut out for them.

After losing out on the superstar, the Yanks need to get their offseason started at the Winter Meetings before the best players come off the board. And the Yanks have the means to pick up a number of valuable free agents for their outfield, rotation, bullpen and infield.

While many free agent bats like Christian Walker, Pete Alonso and Teoscar Hernandez were waiting for Soto to sign, they may start to go quickly now that the left-handed slugger is putting pen to paper.

Many key pieces were not retained, and there are a lot of question marks surrounding this roster and what Cashman will do to address those needs.

Adding another top arm

The rotation is in need of some adjusting. Cole is their ace, but there aren’t many other names the Yankees can depend on.

Carlos Rodon, signed as the team’s No. 2 starter before the 2023 season, has not lived up to his contract or that title. Rodon did have a nice bounce-back season in 2024 where he had a 3.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. While those stats are good for a 162-game season, his performance in the postseason left a lot to be desired.

The southpaw allowed 11 runs in 17.2 innings pitched across four starts, including allowing three home runs in Game 2 of the World Series.

The Yanks need another arm they can depend on in October and there are plenty of options. Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are still available and New York is reportedly in contact with both pitchers. Adding one of those arms would give them a legit No. 2 option — especially if it’s Burnes — who can pair with Rodon and a combination of Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman, and can make them very formidable.

The Yankees were in talks with Blake Snell before the two-time Cy Young winner signed with the Dodgers, and have already laid the groundwork for potentially adding Fried or Burnes. The surprising Luis Severino contract with the Athletics may put a wrench in getting a bargain. With Severino receiving a three-year, $67 million deal, what will Burnes and Fried get?

Exploring trade options

Cashman is one of the sneakiest GMs when it comes to trades. Just when you least expect it, a trade is made. So, with the price of pitchers skyrocketing and salary flexibility an unknown, acquiring talent via trade may be the Yankees’ best bet to filling a hole or two.

The team is already linked to Cody Bellinger of the Cubs, and he seems like a perfect fit for this team. He’s a left-handed slugger and can play outfield and first base. With Rizzo unlikely to return, Bellinger can slide in at first. With Soto gone, if presumptive starter Jasson Dominguez struggles, the organization can move the former NL MVP into the outfield.

Perhaps the Yankees can make some smaller deals as well. They have starters like Stroman and Cortes, both on the final guaranteed years of their contracts, and can possibly get New York some depth hitters or bullpen help. There’s also Oswaldo Cabrera, Trent Grisham, Jose Trevino and others who could fetch some interesting pieces.

With the free agent market so volatile, Cashman may need to get creative.

Figuring out the infield

Rizzo and Torres are likely gone, which leaves two holes to fill.

Exploring Bellinger for first base is an option, but the market is flush with other candidates like the aforementioned Walker and Alonso. Alex Bregman is the top third baseman, but the Astros reportedly offered him a deal, so he may not be available for long.

Maybe the Yankees bring in one infielder via free agency/trade or perhaps they look internally for the answers. A lot has been made of Caleb Durbin this offseason. The young infielder could potentially compete for the second base job in spring training if they can’t find a third baseman to allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to move to his original position.

There’s a reason they added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He was also named Breakout Prospect of the Year in the Arizona Fall League in November. Perhaps he can hone his skills and be a real option and free up some money for the Yankees to spend elsewhere.

However the Yanks do it, they’ll need to come away from the Winter Meetings with a plan for their infield.