The Yankees' offseason effectively began on Oct. 8, the day they were eliminated by the Blue Jays in the ALDS. It was yet another far-too-early start to the winter for the franchise with 27 rings -- but none since 2009. It was also a regression from 2024, when the Yankees won their first pennant in 15 years before losing the World Series to the Dodgers in five games.
So, there is work to be done even to get the Yanks back to their '24 level, much less to MLB's mountaintop. Here are three goals they should hope to achieve during the rest of the offseason.
1. Bring back Bellinger
Trent Grisham's acceptance of the qualifying offer solidifies two of the three outfield spots and releases some of the pressure the Yankees might have felt to acquire another outfielder this winter.
But a reunion with Bellinger just makes so much sense. He absolutely loved hitting at Yankee Stadium, with 18 homers and a .302/.365/.544 slash line over 337 plate appearances in the Bronx. However, Bellinger's athleticism and versatility are just as important, if not more so, than his bat for the Yankees.
His ability to play all three outfield positions as well as first base gives the Yanks that much more flexibility. With him back in the fold, New York can keep Aaron Judge in right field and let Bellinger and Grisham handle the duties in center. Without Bellinger, New York may have to use Judge a fair amount in center, a position he spent 105 games at in 2024. But the club would rather not have its 33-year-old franchise player responsible for covering all that grass.
That's a key reason why Bellinger is a better fit than Kyle Tucker, the offseason's No. 1 free agent. Yes, the Yankees will kick the tires on Tucker, who is 18 months younger than Bellinger. But he is limited to a corner-outfield spot. Plus, his price tag is likely to be much higher.
2. Add more pitching depth everywhere
Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Cam Schlittler. You could throw in Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren, too, but that is one heck of a five-man rotation if everyone is healthy and has no workload restrictions.
But health and workload are a little uncertain within that group right now. Cole is coming back from his 2025 Tommy John surgery, and he will miss Opening Day along with Rodón, who had a bone spur removed from his throwing elbow in October. Fried is fresh off the first 200-inning season of his career (postseason included). Gil, who underwent TJ in 2022, was limited to just 57 regular-season innings this year due to a right lat strain suffered in Spring Training. Schlittler , a postseason star in his debut year, has just 87 1/3 Major League innings under his belt. And Schmidt will miss most of 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July.
The Yankees re-signed southpaw swingman Ryan Yarbrough, but another impact arm should be on their to-do list. The club has expressed interest in Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai and former Yankees pitcher Michael King.
And that's to say nothing of the bullpen, where there are holes to fill as well. The cupboard isn't bare; David Bednar, Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval and Tim Hill are still around, but Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and others must be replaced. The good news for the Yankees is that even if they don't re-sign Williams and/or Weaver -- and they still might -- this year's class of free-agent relievers is flush with high-quality late-inning arms.
3. Figure out what to do with 'The Martian'
He garnered comparisons to Mike Trout and Mickey Mantle as a teenager. He looked like a can't-miss star -- a switch-hitting slugger with the athleticism to play anywhere in the outfield and steal 30-plus bases. But now heading into 2026, it feels like Jasson Domínguez's career in New York is already at a crossroads.
He scuffled to a .236/.300/.318 slash line during the second half of this past season, was relegated to being a bench bat down the stretch and played only one inning during the playoffs. And, for all of the hype surrounding his defensive skills, "The Martian" was one of the worst outfielders in 2025, logging a minus-10 outs above average in left field.
Still just 22 years old, Domínguez obviously possesses gobs of potential. If the team can't work out a deal for Bellinger or Tucker, or if it believes top outfield prospect Spencer Jones isn't quite ready, Domínguez might get another shot at extended playing time. But if the Yankees do make another outfield addition, they could do something that would have seemed unfathomable not too long ago and decide to trade Domínguez to upgrade the roster elsewhere.