New York Yankees

New York Yankees Put on Notice by Joe Girardi

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The New York Yankees find themselves out of postseason contention and in the role of spoiler on the regular season’s final day. Joe Girardi told his club that next year’s camp will be competitive and that they should come ready.

The New York Yankees faltered down the final stretch of the regular season and were eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week. With no World Series title coming to the Bronx in 2016, manager Joe Girardi wants to make sure that everyone in the Yankee clubhouse knows that nothing in guaranteed.

As the New York Post pointed out, Gary Sanchez has taken over as the starting catcher for the Yanks, even with veteran Brian McCann on the roster for at least the next two seasons at $17M each year.

That is a move that the Yankees can afford to make that some smaller market teams cannot, given McCann’s high annual income, and the Bombers may take advantage of their own version of a market inefficiency more so in 2017 with some younger players potentially pushing their way onto the 25 man roster.

For McCann, the team may look to trade him as Sanchez has already supplanted the seven-time All-Star. The Houston Astros could be a match, as they have Evan Gattis, a bat first catcher, as their main option at the moment with Jason Castro‘s defense-first approach hitting the free agent market. McCann has a full no-trade clause, so if he is to be moved, he’ll have the final say.

Some of the other veterans may not be so lucky, as Girardi appears to be set on forming his 2017 roster based on performance. He told the Post, “I think [competition] can bring out a lot of good things and just not young players against young players. It’s young players pushing older players, too, and I think that can be really beneficial as we move forward.”

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The Yankees seem to have enough pieces available to form at least a suitable lineup for next season, but it’s their pitching staff that may need a boost. There has been talk of a reunion with upcoming free agent Aroldis Chapman, which would give the team Chapman, Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances in the bullpen next season.

Outside of Masahiro Tanaka and perhaps Michael Pineda (he has a FIP of 3.79 and a 3.2 WAR), the rotation could definitely use some work. Bryan Mitchell, Luis Cessa and Chad Green are three of those pitchers that could earn their way onto the 2017 club next spring, while Jordan Montgomery and Justus Sheffield could come knocking later in the season.

With a barren free agent market in general, and an exceptionally weak starting pitcher market, the Yankees may look to add on via trade with their recently restocked farm system coming into play, or taking a chance on a starter like C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver or any other pitcher looking at a short-term deal to rebuild their value. They could also be traded or moved into a lesser role later in the season if youth supplants them.

The Baby Bombers will have some growing pains in 2017, but if Brian Cashman can provide some wizardry this offseason, the Yankees could once again be contenders in the American League.

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