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Feb 13, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) participates in spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Yankees Offseason Moves Leaves Big Looming Concern

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 4:00 PM ET

The New York Yankees brought back Cody Bellinger and kept Trent Grisham. Those were the highlights of their winter. While rivals around the division added arms and upgraded their rosters, New York mostly stood still, leaving everyone wondering about one part of its roster.

The team enters spring training with largely the same roster that lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in four games last October. The criticism isn't that the Yankees made bad moves. It's that they barely made any moves at all, and not enough in their bullpen.

Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are both recovering from surgeries and won't be ready for Opening Day. Clarke Schmidt underwent internal brace surgery last July and is targeting a return after the All-Star break. That leaves Max Fried as the only proven starter healthy enough to take the ball in April.

Brian Cashman traded for Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins. The 26-year-old lefty provides depth but comes with concerns. He started just eight games last season after dealing with lat and flexor strains throughout the year. The Yankees don't have a clear Opening Day starter or reliable veteran depth behind their young arms.

The bullpen lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency. Williams struggled through an inconsistent season before finding his form in a setup role late. Weaver provided steady work in high-leverage situations all year. David Bednar returns as closer after posting a 2.19 ERA in 22 games following the trade deadline. But beyond him and setup man Fernando Cruz, the depth remains thin.

These gaps would be concerning in any offseason. They look even worse when you see what happened around the division.

AL East Rivals Made Bigger Splashes

David Banks-Imagn Images

Baltimore‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Orioles inked Pete Alonso to a five-year contract along with pitchers Ryan Helsley and Shane Baz. The Orioles took care of their power and bullpen in one off-season. The Boston Red Sox secured Ranger Suarez through a five-year contract to lead their rotation.

Toronto added Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Kazuma Okamoto to the roster. Blue Jays increased their pitching depth and a big bat in the lineup despite the loss of Bo Bichette. They even outdid New York in some ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌aspects.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last year and still signed Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. They got better. The Yankees brought back their own guys and hoped for health.

With Cole and Rodon sidelined early, three young pitchers will need to carry the load. Weathers, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren are all 26 or younger. None has proven they can handle a full season as a reliable starter yet.

Luis Gil and newly-acquired Angel Chivilli will be leaned on pretty heavily as well.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Yankees Did Do Some, Just Not Enough

Grisham returns as the primary center fielder after hitting 34 homers last season. That career year earned him a $22 million qualifying offer. But he's never hit more than 17 homers in any other season of his career. The Yankees are betting he can repeat that power while solving their leadoff hitter problem.

The entire offseason became a series of bets. Bet that Cole and Rodon return healthy. Bet that Schmidt comes back strong in July. Bet that Grisham wasn't a fluke. Bet that young arms can fill rotation spots. Bet that the bullpen holds together without proven high-leverage arms.

If everything breaks right, this roster has talent. Aaron Judge remains one of baseball's best players. Jazz Chisholm Jr. provides power at second base. Bellinger chose to return and gives them a versatile bat who hit 29 homers last season. Some have defended the quiet approach and believe this group can still compete for a division title.

But championships aren't built on hope and career years. The Dodgers didn't wait to see if things worked out. They made sure of it. The Yankees chose a different path and now they're counting on everything going perfectly. That's not a plan. That's a gamble.

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