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Yankees utilityman Amed Rosario is expected to come off the IL and be activated ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Rays.

The New York Yankees have had a slow start to the MLB offseason, but there is still plenty of time to retain some of their best players. The two biggest decisions the Yankees face are what to do with Cody Bellinger and Luke Weaver. Devin Williams is now a New York Met, and the Yankees have yet to spend money like some fans and analysts would have thought.

However, on Saturday, the New York Yankees signed nine-year MLB veteran Amed Rosario to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million. Rosario was traded to the Yankees from the Washington Nationals last season and appeared in 16 games with New York.

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Yankees Retain Amed Rosario on $2.5 Million Deal

One thing the Yankees have on their wishlist this offseason is right-handed bats. New York is extremely left-handed heavy and could use some balance in the lineup. While Rosario may not provide much power, he is a solid platoon option against southpaws.

In those 16 games with New York this season (most against lefties), Amed Rosario posted an OPS+ of 116.

While his defense isn’t great, the Yankees showed trust in him being at second base and third down the stretch of last season. This is an interesting signing by Brian Cashman and the rest of the Yankees front office because it’s unclear how much Rosario will actually be used next season.

Ishika Samant/Getty ImagesYankees utilityman Amed Rosario

He is a career .273 hitter, and has steadily hovered around the league-average 100 OPS+ mark. New York may see something in him, but the Yankees mark his fifth MLB organization since the start of 2024. He played the first four seasons of his career with the Mets from 2017-2021, but has jumped all across the league since.

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Yankees’ Infield Outlook

Retaining Amed Rosario gives the Yankees more depth in the infield and gives manager Aaron Boone a little flexibility with his options.

New York will look to either upgrade at first base or retain Paul Goldschmidt through free agency. However, Ben Rice is seemingly ready to slot in as the full-time first baseman.

Holding onto Jose Caballero would also be beneficial for the Yankees, as Anthony Volpe recovers from his shoulder injury.

Rosario’s versatility is a huge factor in this signing because if any member of the current infield core gets injured, New York will have a capable fill-in player.

According to BaseballReference.com, Amed Rosario is projected to hit .266 with six home runs in 2026.

While it’s a decent start for the Yankees, they must continue to be aggressive during this hot stove season if they aim to compete with other AL East foes like the Red Sox and Blue Jays, who are proving to be all-in this offseason.

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