The Yankees are having another good season in 2025, but good isn’t enough for the Yankees. Heading into 2026, they will no doubt be looking to reload as they continue to try to take advantage of having Superman Aaron Judge on the list.
guarantee contract
- Aaron JudgeOF: US$240MM before 2031
- Max FriedLHP: $196MM by 2032 (includes $10MM paid in January 2026, half of $20MM signing bonus)
- Gerrit ColeRHP: $108MM by 2028
- Carlos RodonLHP: $81MM by 2028
- Giancarlo StantonOF/DH: $64MM through 2027 (includes $10MM buyout of $25MM club option in 2028; Marlins assume $30MM of remaining guarantees as part of deal)
- Ryan McMahon3B: $32MM by 2027
Other financial commitments
option decision
Guaranteed money in 2026, assuming Hill’s option is taken: $184MM
Total future commitments: $715MM
Arbitration-eligible players (service time in parentheses; projected salary provided by MLBTR writer Matt Swartz)
Non-tender candidates: Wright, Schmidt, Doval, Cousins, Hamilton, Everose, Bird, Cabrera
free agent
The Yankees haven’t had a losing season since 1992. They’ve only missed the playoffs five times in the past 31 years. But expectations in the Bronx are higher than that. It has been more than 15 years since the last parade.
The Yankees are always under pressure to compete, but a championship drought should bring extra urgency. The clock is ticking on Judge, too. He’s still playing at an incredible level. Despite missing some games this year, FanGraphs still rates him 10.1 wins above replacement. But he can’t stay like this forever, as he turns 34 in April. Major contributors include Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon They are also in their 30s, which adds to the feeling that victory should come sooner rather than later.
A lot of good things are still happening in 2025. The club lost Cole to Tommy John surgery during spring training; Louis Gill to lat strain. Despite losing two members of the rotation, the team dominated early. As of the end of May, they were 35-22 and 5.5 games ahead of the AL East. But the gloom of the summer took some wind out of the Blue Jays’ sails, displacing first place in the Eastern Conference. The two teams battled it out and ended up with the same record, although the Jayhawks won via tiebreaker. They would then go head-to-head in the ALDS, with the Jays winning.
The Yankees still have plenty of talent on their roster heading into 2026, but there are also some issues. The rotation should be strong in the long term, although that assumes health improves relative to where it is now. There’s certainly work to be done in the outfield and bullpen, and maybe there’s work to be done in the infield as well. There is also the question of how far the club can go financially.
Historically, the Yankees have often been the biggest spending club in the league. By 2025, they will be in third place, according to RosterResource. The Yankees are listed at $294, well behind the Dodgers and Mets and only slightly ahead of the Phillies. The owner, Hal Steinbrenner, seemed to think he shouldn’t spend more than $300, the New York Post’s Greg Joyce reported. Currently, payroll in 2026 is projected to be $227MM per RR. This gives the Yankees some breathing room even though their cap hit is around $300, although that powder will run out quickly when filling a roster with glaring holes. Was there enough pressure to push Steinbrenner beyond his comfort zone?
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