The New York Yankees made an awful lot of changes in the ongoing MLB season. But nothing worked in their favor per se. From off-season decisions to trade deals to roster moves, literally every move they thought of instantly backfired. So, what can the front office do differently in 2024? For starters, the team needs to fire these eight players from the 40-man roster to make up space for fresh faces.
Relievers Nick Ramirez, Ryan Weber, Anthony Misiewicz, Matt Bowman
While the Yankees bullpen has been the best in the league, it still has loopholes. The group of Nick Ramirez, Ryan Weber, Anthony Misiewicz, and Matt Bowman have been ineffective in the limited opportunities they received throughout the season. While Nick could not really settle well, Weber and Anthony are currently facing injury scares. As for Bowman, the team secured him in a major league contract despite his opt-out exercise. That move clearly did not make much sense. Hence, this group needs to take an exit next year.
Reliever Albert Abreu
RHP Albert Abreu stepped into 2023 after a strong season in 2022. However, Abreu has been mediocre at best, with occasional saves. His ERA stands at 4.73 in 45 appearances. Moreover, the right-hander has leaked ten earned runs and walked 9 in his past seven outings. A franchise like the Yankees can do much better. Abreu, despite being 27, is not the future the Yanks dream of. Multiple options will be made available during free agency, who could do a much better job than Abreu in 2024.
OF Franchy Cordero, Billy McKinney
Francy Cordero has no future left in the Bronx, especially after the arrival of Estevan Florial. Cordero had enough opportunities to cement his place. Instead, he ended up scoring .188 with a .690 OPS. The injuries played a spoilsport as well. Hence, by early projections, Florial will replace Cordero in the 40-man roster next year. On the other hand, Billy McKinney had a relatively better season. At a point, he remained the Yankees’ top offensive contributor. But, at the same time, Billy failed to remain consistent. Thus, owing to the youth influx, McKinney will also lose his spot.
Catcher Kyle Higashioka
This might be an unpopular opinion but a plausible reality. The Yankees are moving ahead with the youth in 2024. Catchers Ben Rortvedt and Austin Wells are currently optimizing their everyday opportunities as Kyle Higashioka has been asked to take a back seat. With Wells’ rise, Kyle’s roster space is under threat. This season, Kyle failed to turn up on the plate. In 89 games, he could hit .234 with ten homers, 34 RBIs, and .685 OPS. He will be available for arbitration in 2024. Thus, the Yanks will be looking to cut him loose to make permanent space for Austin Wells. The prospect has been effective behind the plate so far. Moreover, the Bombers are committed to carrying on their youth movement in the 2024 season. Hence, Higashioka would likely be collateral damage to the team’s youth influx.
