The New York Yankees have a sea of arbitration-eligible players this off-season. As many as 17 players will be up for arbitration before the non-tender deadline. To those unversed, the term “non-tender” refers to the process by which a team decides not to offer a contract to one of its arbitration-eligible players. Moreover, when a player is non-tendered, they become a free agent. Meanwhile, here are five of the 17 Yankee players who could get non-tender this off-season.
1. Domingo German
It might come as a harsh opinion to many, but the bitter truth is that Domingo German is nothing short of a liability to the New York Yankees. He got placed on the restricted list twice in five years. German got off to a strong start this season by posting a 2.54 ERA during the initial few months of the season. He also unlocked a major career milestone by pitching a perfect game vs. Athletics. However, an unfortunate drunken outburst in the clubhouse ended his season prematurely. The pitcher’s projected salary for 2024 is $4.4 million, which the Bombers are unlikely to shell out.
2. Kyle Higashioka
Veteran Catcher Kyle Higashioka has been the New York Yankees’ regular backstop for seven straight seasons. However, the rise of prospect Austin Wells proved a curse for Kyle. He quickly lost his spot in the lineup after Wells’s arrival, and with the team banking on the youth program for the 2024 season, Higashioka’s return seems unlikely. His projected salary is $2.3 million, which is not much as per the Bombers’ standards. But the lack of roster space could get Kyle non-tendered this off-season.
3. Billy McKinney
Outfield veteran Billy McKinney came in as reinforcements during crucial moments for the Yankees as their roster collapsed due to injuries. Billy did his best and offered many awe-inspiring moments. However, the return of Aaron Judge and the emergence of Everson Pereira significantly reduced McKinney’s playing time. His projected salary is $1.2 million, which the Yanks might not spend on a player who is not more than a backup piece.
4. Jimmy Cordero
The New York Yankees bullpen was hot this season and emerged as the one with the lowest ERA in the whole league. Reliever Jimmy Cordero was an active part of it. In 32.2 innings pitched, Cordero posted a 3.86 ERA with 34 strikeouts. However, Jimmy was found in violation of the MLB’s domestic violence policy, which led to an abrupt end of what looked like a promising season. Yanks messed up once by giving a second chance to Domingo German when he met the same fate in 2019. They should not be making the same mistake with Cordero.
5. Ryan Weber
Reliever Ryan Weber has been impressive in his two seasons with the New York Yankees. In 2022, he made only five appearances, wherein he posted a 0.84 ERA. In 2023, he put together a 3.14 ERA in eight appearances. While Weber was subject to constant scuffling, a forearm injury cut his season short. His projected salary for 2024 is $900,000. While we do not expect the Yanks to offer him a tender contract owing to an overflowing bullpen, baseball is a funny sport where the dynamics are constantly evolving.
