Three sneaky-good moves the Yankees should make to shake up their roster

A trade for CJ Abrams

The Washington Nationals have made it clear that they are not afraid to move some of their young players who have value, as they recently traded starter MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers for a package of prospects. While the Yankees missed the chance to receive Gore, they still have an opportunity to do business with Washington in the form of CJ Abrams. 

Entering his age-25 season in 2026, the lefty shortstop has already proved that he can be a presence in any lineup, slashing .257/.315/.433 last season. In addition to this, he would be able to give the Bombers a proper leadoff hitter. Although he can hit home runs, he is a threat to run on the bases, stealing over 30 bases in his past three seasons. 

The addition of Abrams suits many of the Bombers' needs, and he is continuing to improve as he tallies more years in the league. His positional versatility and speed would add more depth to their lineup and allow New York to have more options when deciding its infield. 

Taking a chance on Justin Verlander

After whiffing on other possible rotation additions this offseason, the Yankees may be eying Justin Verlander, who remains unsigned thus far.

Verlander, who is entering his age-43 season, is coming off a 4-11 season with the San Francisco Giants, where he posted a 3.85 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP and 137 strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young award winner showed that he can still bounce back even after a rough season at 41 years old, and his strong finish over his last 13 starts of 2025 shines a positive light on what he could bring to a team next season.

Although the Yankees have an extremely promising rotation on paper, there is no guarantee that their best rotation will all be healthy at the same time this season. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will not be ready for Opening Day, and Clarke Schmidt isn't expected to be back until after the All-Star break. Verlander can provide major support to an injury-riddled rotation at the beginning of the season, along with offering a battle-tested and experienced arm during the postseason.

A reunion with Miguel Andujar

Nearly a decade ago, Miguel Andujar burst onto the scene for the Yankees. With his recent resurgence with the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics, a reunion between Andujar and New York may be on the horizon.

Andujar and the Bombers parted ways in 2022 after injuries and poor performance led to the downfall of the young utility player, but he has since been able to give his career some life. He was productive for the Athletics, where he slashed .298/.329/.436 in 60 games, but he was a force for the Reds. After getting shipped to Cincinnati at the trade deadline, Andujar went on a 34-game tear, slashing .359/.400/.544 in 110 plate appearances for the Reds. 

Bringing back the former Rookie of the Year runner-up might not be the flashiest move the Yankees could make, but he could add some valuable depth to their roster and possibly even work his way into the starting lineup. 

With regular-season baseball roughly two months away, free-agent signings and trades will continue to happen nonstop. Although most of the big-ticket moves have been decided this offseason, keep a lookout for some by the Yankees, because they may not be done just yet.