5 Players Entering Final Months With Yankees
As we enter the final two months of the 2024 season and another trade deadline has passed, the New York Yankees must exceed expectations with their finalized roster to make a deep postseason run. While a 28th championship is always on the team's mind, it's hard not to think about the future of the Yankees in the Bronx. With several notable free agents set to hit the open market, who will the Yankees retain, and who will they let walk?
If the Yankees want to pay star outfielder Juan Soto, who will be an unrestricted free agent following this season, they must allocate their money effectively. We can expect Soto to earn a massive contract, so the Yankees must prepare to offer the four-time All-Star a long-term contract to keep in New York if they want to build a championship-caliber team. It will also be necessary for the Yankees to let players test free agency so they come off the payroll, and the team can use that money to extend Soto's contract.
With plenty of players set to become free agents either struggling performance-wise or prone to injury, moving on from these players while keeping Soto long-term should be a goal for the organization and something to keep in mind. It will be interesting to see what Brian Cashman decides to do through the remainder of the year to build for the 2025 season. That said, let's take a look at five Yankees players who could be entering their final few months with the team.
5: Anthony Rizzo
There's a chance Anthony Rizzo has played his last game as a New York Yankee, but it remains unclear what the team will decide. Rizzo is technically a free agent in 2026, but he can become a free agent this year if the Yankees don't pick up his $17 million option to keep him in the Bronx for another season. With the veteran's significant injuries over the last two years and struggles at the plate, it doesn't seem reasonable to bring him back.
The Yankees will also need as much money as possible to match other offers for Soto in free agency, and it can't hurt to add $17 million to prioritize the four-time All-Star. With Ben Rice looking like the everyday first baseman of the future and LeMahieu, who could be used as another option, bringing Rizzo back for another year doesn't make sense.
On the flip side, Rizzo is great for the locker room off the field and is well-liked among Yankee fans and the organization. Also, off the field, he and Aaron Judge are very good friends, but at the end of the day, it's a business, and the team may need to move on. There's a chance the 34-year-old also calls it a career and retires from the league after this year due to the severity of last year's and this year's injuries.