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The New York Yankees are being linked with yet another free agent outfielder. The Bronx Bombers are expected to be heavily involved in negotiations for the star duo Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker. In fact, grabbing at least one of these outfielders appears to be the team’s top offseason priority at the moment.

Nevertheless, the Yankees are also being named as suitors for fellow outfielder Rob Refsnyder. While the potential move may be seen as underwhelming by many New Yorkers, the veteran is garnering interest from several teams around the league. Masslive.com has even claimed that multiple contenders are pushing to sign the free agent.

Refsnyder was previously picked by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. Although he did show signs of potential in New York, the team ultimately traded him at the 2017 deadline. Refsnyder, now 34, may not be used as an everyday starter. He does, however, bring a specific value to the plate. The veteran crushes left-handed pitchers.

Rob Refsnyder Would Give the New York Yankees a Solid Threat Against Lefties

GettyRob Refsnyder hit over .300 against left-handed pitchers in 2025 with the Boston Red Sox.

Refsnyder’s ability from the right side of the plate is a specific need for the Yankees. As reported by the New York Post, Yankee GM Brian Cashman has claimed that his team has become too left-handed. This issue would be even more the case if New York brings back Bellinger and/or signs Tucker.

With Bellinger and Trent Grisham in center field, former top prospect Jasson Dominguez was mostly deployed in left field for the Yankees in 2025. The 22-year-old slugger can hit from both sides of the plate, but he has struggled against lefties. Dominguez’s OPS as a righty was nearly 200 points lower than when he hit from the left side. This is a concern for New York.

Cashman even recently hinted that Dominguez may not be viewed as an everyday starter going forward. If this is the case, Refsnyder could essentially split time with Dominguez in left field during the 2026 season. Cashman may also opt to use the former prospect as trade bait to help address other needs.

Refsnyder’s stats against lefties are very impressive, especially when put up against Dominguez’s numbers. The veteran posted a .302 batting average and an OPS of .959 against southpaws. Compare this to Dominguez’s .204 average and .569 OPS as a right-handed hitter in 2025.

Refsnyder is Friends with Yankee Superstar Aaron Judge

Along with his ability at the plate against lefties, Refsnyder has also remained close friends with current Yankee superstar Aaron Judge. The two outfielders previously spent time together in New York’s minor league system. Both Refsnyder and Judge featured heavily for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2015 and 2016.

If the Yankees were to sign Bellinger, Refsnyder would be a solid option in left field or as a fourth outfielder. New York potentially landing Tucker, however, may put the kibosh on the club’s pursuit of their former player. While going this route would make the Yankees even more left-handed, Tucker did hit lefties fairly well in 2025.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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