As the MLB offseason reaches its traditional New Year’s Day midpoint and the start of spring training on February 20 approaches, the defending American League champion New York Yankees have made some strides but still need to make key moves to strengthen their roster, especially after losing Juan Soto and his 41 home runs from the outfield.
Additionally, the Yankees lost another outfield contributor from their World Series roster. Alex Verdugo, who spent three years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and four with the Boston Red Sox, was traded from Boston to the Yankees for one season.
They picked up his final year of arbitration eligibility with a $9.2 million deal. However, Verdugo’s 2024 season was disastrous, with an on-base percentage under .300 (.291) and an OPS of just .647. He performed even worse in the postseason, with OPS figures of .481 and .594 in the divisional and ALCS rounds.
Verdugo did show some improvement in the Yankees’ five-game World Series loss to the Dodgers, but his season ended on a sour note when he struck out against Walker Buehler in a crucial at-bat during Game 5.
Now, the Yankees must replace both Verdugo and Soto. Replacing Verdugo should be easier, and a potential trade target is 31-year-old Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels, who could offer a significant upgrade over Verdugo at a similar price.
Ward is expected to earn $8.75 million in 2025, slightly less than Verdugo’s $9.2 million salary in 2024, and remains under team control for another season. If the Yankees prefer to develop internal talent, Jasson Domínguez, their top prospect, could fill the gap. However, Domínguez, who struggled during his 18 games in the majors last season with a .179 batting average and .617 OPS, may need more time to develop before becoming an everyday player.
Ward’s performance over the past three seasons has been impressive, with a combined Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 7.6. For comparison, top free agent Anthony Santander, who is expected to command a five-year, $100 million contract, posted a WAR of 8.2 in the same span, though Santander played 73 more games. Ward’s WAR per 162 games (3.01) actually surpasses Santander’s (2.89).
The Angels’ starting pitching struggled in 2024, ranking 28th in ERA (4.97), so they are likely to seek starting pitching or top pitching prospects in any trade involving Ward. The Yankees’ top pitching prospect, right-hander Will Warren, who made five starts last season, could be a key piece in a potential deal.
