Things have been quiet in New York Yankees land. That alone is unsettling. This is a club with real needs, and one that has yet to do anything of substance to truly address them. However, the same can be said for the majority of the league. The Winter Meetings are behind us, and outside of a handful of teams, not much has happened.

That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from percolating, however. The Yankees are, as always, at the forefront of the smoke. How much of that is agents trying to drive up their clients’ price tags? Does that even still work in 2025? Even if it doesn’t, it seems like it’s still part of the bag of tricks.

Some of the rumors are thrilling, while others should threaten to push fans into a pit of despair. Let’s dive in.

These 2 Yankees rumors are the stuff nightmares are made out ofThe Yankees have kicked the tires on Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle

What is it with the Yankees’ fascination with Colorado Rockies players? Mike Tauchman, DJ LeMahieu, Ryan McMahon, Jake Bird, Adam Ottavino and others either started their careers in the Mile High City or spent most of their career there before donning pinstripes. The Rockies have been atrocious for much of that time. The appeal is baffling.

Here we see the Yankees targeting yet another Colorado player in outfielder Brenton Doyle. They need a right-handed hitting outfielder, sure, but the operative word there is “hitting.” That’s something Doyle hasn’t done much of. His rookie year saw him post a 44 wRC+, and while his sophomore season was a marked improvement, he was still a tad below league-average, coming in at a 97 mark. In 2025, he regressed back to replacement-level status, posting a 65 wRC+.

Like many Rockies, he owns a career .200/.250/.319 line away from Coors Field. Let’s pass, shall we?

The Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade speculation

The Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade speculation didn’t start at the Winter Meetings, but it certainly picked up steam there. According to Jeff Passan, the club is listening to offers for the All-Star second baseman.

There are a lot of ways to take this, almost none of them good. Trading Chisholm Jr. might bring back the assets to fill a hole, but opens another one in the process. Then, there’s the ludicrous extension speculation. Some folks feel that because they haven’t extended Chisholm Jr., they have to move him. Not only are early extensions not the Yankee way (though, maybe it’s time to change that), but one thing has nothing to do with the other.

There is one caveat. Ketel Marte’s name is buzzing in trade speculation, and if Jazz was part of a swap for him, it’d be the rare way the Yankees could actually upgrade. Still, Chisholm Jr. is one of the best players at his position, and the market isn’t exactly flush with alternatives. More than likely, trading him does more harm than good.

These 3 Yankees rumors would be a dream come trueFreddy Peralta is exactly what the doctor ordered

The Yankees are in on Freddy Peralta, and that’s important for a few reasons. One, the Brewers ace would bring some much-needed stability, as well as a dominant right-handed presence to the starting rotation. Two, Peralta makes just $8 million in 2026, meaning adding him to the payroll shouldn’t hamstring other upgrades.

The third, and perhaps most important part, however, is that if the Yankees are to pull this off, they’d be dashing the hopes of the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in the process. Both AL East foes are said to be in the mix as well, and this is the classic case where an addition is like double-dipping.

Baltimore has upgraded their firepower, but has yet to address its rotation. Boston has added Sonny Gray and, for some reason, Johan Oviedo, but has yet to truly find the No. 2 starter it craves. Keeping Peralta away from their clutches is almost as impactful as adding him to the Yankee rotation.

Hunter Greene would give the rotation a different look and feel

You can chalk this one up as a positive. Kind of. The Yankees have some interest in Hunter Greene, and it’s easy to see why. The Reds’ 26-year-old flamethrower is locked up through at least 2028 at a bargain basement price. His $21 million option for 2029 could also be a steal.

Greene posted a 2.75 ERA in 2024. He posted a 2.76 mark in 2025. That’s a ridiculous level of elite consistency. But here’s where the problems come in. Greene was limited to just 107 2/3 innings in 2025. His career high is just 150 1/3 innings pitched in 2024. His injury history is long and checkered and dates back to the very beginning when he first turned pro.

It’s hard to count on him, and the Reds are going to want a pretty penny. You can certainly talk yourself into this as a brilliant move, but it’s not as big a slam dunk as trading for Peralta would be.

The Yankees want Cody Bellinger back

According to Bob Nightengale, the Yankees want Cody Bellinger back. A reunion would certainly delight the fan base, and Bellinger’s reverse splits would solve the lefty logjam in the outfield much like it did last season.

Bellinger’s going to be expensive, and while the Yankees and thoughtlessly spending money haven’t gone hand-in-hand recently, Bob Nightengale predicts they’ll get a deal done, and for significantly less than whatever Kyle Tucker receives, for what it’s worth.