Yankeesโ Eyeing Devin โขWilliams, Kyle Tucker Amidst Payroll Flexibility
Bronx, NY – The โNew York Yankeesโค are actively considering pursuing both milwaukee Brewers โreliever Devin Williams and Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker this offseason, despiteโ Cody Bellinger opting out โof his contract with the team. Generalโค Manager Brian Cashman indicated the Yankees are openโฃ to exceeding โคaโข $300 million payroll ifโ the prospect arises, though he โremained noncommittal on a firmโข budget.
The Yankees’โค outfield situation currently โขincludes Trent Grisham,with Jasson Dominguez and Aaron Judge also potential options.though, Judge’s recentโข performance hasn’t been strong enough to dissuade theโ team fromโ seeking a โคnotable upgrade like Tucker. Re-signing Bellinger also remains a possibility.
Currently, FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool estimatesโ the Yankees’ 2025 payroll at approximately $260 million, with Grisham’s $22 million deal โalready factored in.โฃ the team’s payroll โfinished โขaround $296 million inโ 2024, after exceeding $300 million โฃin 2023. Cashman acknowledged that acquiring playersโข like Tucker, โKyle Schwarber, or Bryan Williams will necessitateโ substantial, โmulti-yearโ commitments.
The Yankees โalreadyโฃ have significant long-term financial obligations to Judge, Max Fried, Gerrit cole, and Carlos Rodon, all of whom are under contract through at least 2028. Despite these commitments, Cashman expressedโ confidence โคin the team’s ability to manage the payroll.”I think โขit could go both ways. So it โขjust depends on how things shake out and what opportunities present themselves,” Cashman told โฃreporters.”The job right now is to find โขout what’s available, and those all have different โprice points.There could beโ cheap players that are available that โคare good, or there could be very expensive players that are available that are โขgood.“