Could the SF Giants shock baseball by sending veteran outfielder to the Yankees?

After missing out on Juan Soto, the New York Yankees have some work to do to rebuild their roster. Could they work out a trade for veteran SF Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski?

Could the SF Giants shock baseball by sending veteran outfielder to the Yankees?

Mark Feinsand of MLB.Com lists Yastrzemski as among the potential outfield options that the Yankees could target. He also adds a couple of free-agent options in Jurickson Profar and Randal Grichuk as well as some other trade options such as Taylor Ward, Adolis García, and Lane Thomas.

I am right there with you in that seeing a Yastrzemski in a Yankees uniform would not feel right. However, they still have some work to do following the trade for Cody Bellinger.

Bellinger plays first base and in the outfield, so the Yankees have some flexibility in terms of what they need. They could add another first baseman, shifting Bellinger to the outfield, or recruit an outfielder.

The Yankees' outfield contingent in 2024 consisted of Soto, Aaron Judge, and Alex Guerrero. Trent Grisham served as the team's fourth outfielder. They also have a top outfield prospect in Jasson Domínguez.

Even with two of the best players in baseball, the Yankees' depth chart was light behind Judge and Soto. Grisham has established himself as a solid fourth outfielder, whereas Guerrero is now a free agent.

This is where someone like Yastrzemski comes into play. The cost for free agents has been abnormally high this offseason. For example, Michael Conforto landed a one-year, $17 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after posting a .759 OPS with 20 home runs and 66 RBI in 488 plate appearances with the Giants in 2024. These are solid numbers but that is a steep price to pay. Admittedly, teams normally pay a premium on one-year deals for veterans and Conforto was quite good away from Oracle Park.

Yastrzemski's $9.25 million salary for 2025 is a reasonable rate for someone who can hit with power and play solid defense. The left-handed bat slashed .231/.302/.437 (106 wRC+) with 18 home runs, 57 RBI, and 60 runs in 474 plate appearances in 2024. Plus, he was a finalist for the NL Gold Glove Award in right field but did not win.

The 34-year-old outfielder fell just shy of 20 home runs in 2024 but he did set a career-high with nine triples in 2024. Many of those were at Oracle Park and hit to the deepest part of the field without the benefit of getting a home run.

There is a good chance that he would hit 20 or more home runs with relative ease at a park like Yankee Stadium. The short porch and wall in right field would be much more inviting than the cold climate and expansive dimensions of Oracle Park.

The cost would be minimal for trading Yastrzemski with one year of team control remaining. Perhaps, if the Giants were to assume some of his salary for next season, it would improve the trade package to some degree.

It always takes two teams to make a deal. While Yastrzemski offers a low ceiling in value, there is no obvious internal replacement yet who has proven they can take over. The Giants can get better production from that roster spot but they can do far worse as well. For many reasons, Yastrzemski would be a nice fit for the Yankees if the Giants are willing to make a deal.