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Feb. 10: Are Yankees still in on Arenado?
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand said Monday on MLB Tonight that the Yankees "are still kind of kicking the tires" on a trade for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Sources told MLB.com in December that the Yankees approached the Cardinals about a potential trade that would have sent starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to St. Louis for Arenado but were rebuffed. Since then, the Cardinals have had conversations with other clubs -- including the Red Sox -- about Arenado, but there hasn't been much buzz about the eight-time All-Star possibly ending up with the Bronx.
Yet Feinsand said "there will be some urgency" by the Cardinals to trade Arenado before the season begins, and a match with the Yankees is not out of the question.
"I think if the acquisition cost of getting Arenado is low enough and the Cardinals are willing to kick in some money -- which they were with Houston -- I don't rule the Yankees out just yet," he said.
Arenado, who turns 34 in April, has a full no-trade clause and is due $52 million over the final three years of his existing contract. The Tigers and Blue Jays are two other teams that have been linked to Arenado, but Feinsand doesn't think the veteran will waive his no-trade clause to go to either of those clubs.
Feb. 4: What’s left on Yankees’ offseason checklist?
The Yankees crossed another item off of their offseason checklist on Tuesday, reaching a one-year, $2.85 million deal with left-handed reliever Tim Hill, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
With their need for a southpaw reliever now fulfilled, New York could zero in on acquiring an infielder.
Although there has been some speculation that the Yankees could stick with their internal options to round out their infield, ESPN’s Jorge Castillo recently reported that the Bronx Bombers are still looking to add either a second baseman or a third baseman, with plans to play Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the other spot. However, free agent Alex Bregman and Cardinals trade candidate Nolan Arenado are no longer among the options they are considering. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman also poured cold water on the possibility of the Yanks acquiring the Padres’ Luis Arraez.
If those avenues are indeed closed, the Yankees could be left to choose from the likes of Brendan Rodgers, Paul DeJong and Jose Iglesias on the free-agent market.
According to Castillo, the Yankees also still want to shed Marcus Stroman’s contract in a trade. Stroman is owed $18.5 million in 2025 and has an $18 million vesting player option for 2026, contingent on him throwing at least 140 innings this season.
Jan. 7: Yankees ‘actively’ shopping Stroman (report)
Marcus Stroman appears to be the odd man out in the Yankees’ rotation after the team signed Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract in December, adding the left-hander to a stable of starters that already included Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, as well as Stroman.
This isn’t the first time this offseason that Stroman’s name has surfaced in trade rumblings. Sources told MLB.com last month that the Yankees approached the Cardinals about a potential trade that would have sent Stroman to St. Louis for third baseman Nolan Arenado but were rebuffed.
Stroman is owed $18.5 million in the final year of a two-year, $37 million deal. The contract also includes an $18 million vesting player option for 2026, contingent on Stroman throwing at least 140 innings in the upcoming season.
Given his age and contract, Stroman could be tough to move unless the Yankees agree to pick up some of the money still owed to him. The right-hander posted a 4.31 ERA over 154 2/3 innings in 2024, including a 5.70 ERA after the calendar flipped to June. It was the second straight year that Stroman faded down the stretch, as he also recorded an 8.29 ERA over his final 11 outings (nine starts) as a member of the Cubs in 2023.
