The New York Yankees are entering the MLB offseason with many questions from the fans about how they will  fix their team.

With the announcement of outfielder Cody Bellinger opting out of his current contract with the Yankees, the team needs a dominant left-handed batter to pair with center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. behind All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge.

The Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker is at the top of the list of free agents for the Yankees next season. The longest homerun Tucker has recorded in his career is almost 150 feet beyond the right field wall at Yankee Stadium. His great swing and the design of Yankee Stadium, would be the ultimate pair. 

Tucker missed some time this season with a hand fracture and was still able to have an on-base plus slugging percentage of .841 while hitting 22 home runs and being on the All-Star team.

Another player the Yankees should consider signing is New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who also opted out of his contract after the Mets’ season ended. 

Alonso has been one of the most dominant first basemen in all of the MLB over the last three seasons. He broke the Mets’ all-time home run record on Aug. 12, passing right fielder Darryl Strawberry who had 253 home runs.

What the Yankees have lacked in the last few seasons is the use of their minor league system. Outfielder Spencer Jones is one of the top Yankees prospects right now with an expected call-up next season. The biggest issue with Jones joining is the current roster. The overabundance of outfielders and designated hitters makes it hard to find a place in the lineup for him.

Shortstop George Lombard Jr. is one of the most prominent young names in the Yankees organization, reaching one of the top spots on the Yankees prospect list and the 25th best in all of professional baseball. With a shoulder injury sidelining the Yankees’ current starting shortstop Anthony Volpe at the start of next season, new bats are on the horizon. 

An aspect of this roster that goes overlooked is the lack of left-handed pitchers in the bullpen. Tim Hill was the leader of the lefties for the Yankees, pitching a 3.09 ERA in 70 games, making a push to trade players like outfielder Austin Slater and pitcher Jake Bird for a more dominant left-handed reliever. 

Pitching is a big what-if for the upcoming season, with former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole recovering from Tommy John surgery, an operation that repairs a ligament in the elbow, and expected to be back in the middle of the season. What is known is that Max Fried can step into the rotation as an ace when promoted.

What would really help the roster is pursuing former Cy Young winner and Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, who just had a fantastic season with the Braves, ending with a 2.58 ERA and 165 strikeouts in roughly 125 innings. 

There is not much panic during free agency; more than likely, the Yankees will sign their needs over their wants. Each off-season the Yankees emerge as the early favorites for many of the top free agents but they only pick out a handful of players. 

The effect this has on fans has been complicated. After making the World Series in 2024 and losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers, fans are growing tired of each season’s outcome. The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009, when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies. The disappointment of coming up short has taken a toll on the fans.

Coming into this off-season with a mindset to make the team better than ever should be the top priority for the Yankees front office.