With free agency set to begin five days after the World Series ends, the New York Yankees should be one of the more active teams after falling short of the ultimate goal and getting bounced in the ALDS.
The Yankees are set to have 10 free agents this winter , with most of them being relievers. It's not a guarantee that they'll bring all of those hurlers back, so New York will likely need to make an addition or two there. They also need a solid backup catcher behind Austin Wells. They can't afford to go into 2027 with Ali Sanchez or JC Escarra.
Then there's third base, which is a question mark, and the outfield, which could use another bat in center field with Trent Grisham's pending departure. It's not a huge shopping list for general manager Brian Cashman, but he must find suitable upgrades as the fanbase isn't pleased with the direction the organization is going.
The Yankees can make their job easier this offseason by looking at available AL East free agents to fill their needs. Overall, the free-agent class isn't overflowing with talent, but these three free agents could be nice moves on the margins for Cashman.
The 31-year-old utilityman wouldn't be a needle-mover, but he could be a solid replacement for Amed Rosario, who is a pending free agent.
Rosario left much to be desired for the Bronx Bombers this season, slashing .238/.279/.405 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, and a .684 OPS (87 games). Defensively, he played third base, second base, right field, left field, and as a designated hitter.
His defense at third base (.911 fielding percentage, seven errors, and -6 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average) and second base (.882 fielding percentage, two errors, and -1 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average) was horrendous, and something the Yankees can't bring back in 2027.
With Kiner-Falefa, who played with the Yankees for two seasons (2022 and 2023), they wouldn't have to worry about that.
In his first stint with New York, he played at shortstop, third base, outfield (right and left), and second base. In 2022, Kiner-Falefa saw some time at third base (six games) after spending most of the time at shortstop (138 games).
He was not great at the hot corner, with a .909 fielding percentage (.967 league average), one error, and 0 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average. But the following season, there was some improvement in 2023 at third base -a .963 fielding percentage (.962 league average) and 3 Defensive Runs Saved Above Average.
Fast forward a few years to this season with the Boston Red Sox, and Kiner-Falefa played second base, shortstop, third base, designated hitter, and first base. He had solid defense across all spots.
Meanwhile, the veteran infielder hit .242 with five doubles, two home runs, 16 RBI, and a .633 OPS in 66 games. Those aren't bad numbers considering he missed a considerable amount of time with a stress fracture in his left forearm.
His hard-hit rate was 25.9% this season, the second-lowest mark in his career. But for what it's worth, Kiner-Fafela hit .283 against right-handed pitchers. Rosario hit .295, but if you're the Yankees, you would rather prioritize Kiner-Fafela's defense.
We highlighted Mullins before the World Series began as one of the impending free agents in the Fall Classic who should interest the Yankees.
Mullins is familiar with the Yankees based on his time with the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, and he played in the New York market before (Mets in 2025). The veteran would also be a solid defensive addition in center field if the Yankees want to platoon with Spencer Jones .
The veteran outfielder has a mutual $10 million option with the Rays, and it would be shocking to see both sides agree to come back at that number. During the regular season, Mullins hit .205 with 15 home runs, 48 RBI, and recorded 21 stolen bases.
Even though the bat wasn't impressive, Mullins can still wreak havoc on the basepaths. And when you look at this defense during the regular season, he had a 12 Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant, which is really good.
As we highlighted before, the defensive upgrade between him and Grisham would be something the Yankees desperately need. Whether it's through free agency or an offseason trade (Steven Kwan maybe?) New York will likely need another option in center field for 2027.
I didn't want to go double Tampa Bay Rays, but there weren't any other free agents on the Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, or Baltimore Orioles that would make sense for the Yankees. Therefore, let's talk about Rays shortstop Taylor Walls.
Now, you might be asking yourself why Walls, given that the Yankees already have George Lombard Jr., who is the real deal. The Yankees could need some infield depth with uncertainty at second and third base, plus Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Rosario being free agents.
Walls could be that depth, as he has experience playing at shortstop, second, and third. This season with the Rays, he's played at shortstop, starting at 115 games. He won't give much offensively, hitting .222 with 18 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 36 RBI, and a .607 OPS during the regular season.
However, he offers speed on the basepaths, which the Yankees would lose with Chisholm. Walls had 21 stolen bases this season, the second-most in his career. Walls had a club option for $3.1 million next season, but would Tampa Bay accept it for a player who's struggling to hit in the postseason?
They could given that they developed Walls, or Tampa Bay could go in a different direction to give them a more consistent offensive option. If that's the case, the Yankees should keep Walls on their wishlist as a bench option to go along with Jose Caballero.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/yankees/onsi as 3 AL East Free Agents Yankees Should Have on Their Offseason Shopping List .
