Last week saw Major League Baseball’s non-tender deadline take place and a group of players with a wide range of MLB experience entered into the free agency pool.
Along with a handful of current free agents like DJ LeMahieu, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and others, the Yankees are still in the process of assembling the eventual Opening Day roster that will take the field in 2021.
With some new surprise names among the non-tendered crowd drawing attention across the league, here are four players who might make sense for the Bombers to take a closer look at this offseason.
Kyle Schwarber, LF/DH – 27 years old
2020 Stats (59 G): .188 AVG/.308 OBP/.393 SLG, 6 2B, 11 HR, 24 RBI, 30 R
Yankee Stadium is just about the most ideal place for left-handed power bats to reside, and that’s exactly what Schwarber would bring to the Bronx. The ex- Cubs outfielder and former No. 4 overall pick struggled this past season with a slash line of .188/.308/.393 and 11 homers in 59 games with Chicago, but his track record of big power and a career OPS of .816 makes him an ideal candidate to help balance out the Yankees’ right-hand-heavy lineup next season.
Carlos Rodon, LHP – 27 years old
2020 Stats (4 G): W-L: 0-2, 8.22 ERA, 7.2 IP, 6 K/3 BB, 1.565 WHIP
The player taken one pick before Schwarber in the 2014 draft was this fellow ex-Chicago big leaguer, former White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon. Over his six years in the Majors, Rodon has posted an ERA+ of exactly 100, with a 29-33 career record and a 4.14 ERA in 97 appearances. His stats may not jump off the page, but injuries (including Tommy John surgery in 2019) have had a lot to do with Rodon’s limitations and he could be a low-risk option for the Bombers to consider if free-agent lefties like James Paxton and J.A. Happ end up elsewhere this offseason.
Travis Shaw, INF – 30 years old
2020 Stats (50 G): .239 AVG/.306 OBP/.411 SLG, 10 2B, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 17 R
The 2020 season saw a bounce-back performance from the versatile lefty-hitting Shaw following his difficult 2019 campaign with the Brewers. With MLB experience at first, second and third base (and even a couple games in the outfield), he can plug into a number of roles. Shaw spent the first two seasons of his career in Boston and last year in Toronto, so he has AL East experience on his resume and is just a few short years removed from back-to-back 30-plus home run seasons in 2017 and 2018.
Archie Bradley, RHP – 28 years old
2020 Stats (16 G): W-L: 2-0, 2.95 ERA, 18.1 IP, 18 K/3 BB, 1.091 WHIP
In 2017, few relievers were as effective as this former Diamondback, who ended up in a Cincinnati Reds uniform at last year’s trade deadline. Bradley, 28, posted a solid 2.95 ERA last season and has averaged better than a strikeout per inning over his six-year MLB career (9.3 K/9), and could help bring some veteran experience to a Yankees bullpen that finished 16th in the Majors with a 4.51 ERA. His signature beard, however, would have to go.
For all the latest Yankees news and offseason developments, be sure to tune in for the latest Yankees Hot Stove airing on YES Network this Thursday at 7 p.m.
