Now that the Rangers have defeated the Diamondbacks in the World Series, the Yankees and all other teams can truly get their offseasons underway.
With that in mind, here is a primer for the Bombers’ winter, which includes key dates, events and names to know:
POST-WORLD SERIES
With the World Series over, trades can begin and eligible players are free agents. Teams have five days to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents before the market opens on Nov. 6. Teams also have to extend qualifying offers within five days of the World Series ending, and free agents have until Nov. 14 to either accept or reject them.
It would be a surprise if the Yankees extend any qualifying offers, which will be worth approximately $20.5 million this winter.
Finally, players on the 60-day injured list have to be reinstated to the 40-man roster within five days of the World Series. Such Yankees include Nestor Cortes, Scott Effross, Luis Gil, Lou Trivino, Ryan Weber, Jose Trevino, Anthony Rizzo and Jasson Domínguez.
AWARDS
Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo are finalists for the American League Gold Glove Awards, which will be announced on Nov. 5. Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres, meanwhile, are Silver Slugger finalists. Winners will be announced Nov. 9.
Gerrit Cole is the league’s presumed Cy Young winner. That award will be announced on Nov. 15.
GENERAL MANAGERS MEETING
The annual general managers meetings take place in Scottsdale, Arizona from Nov. 7-9. American League general managers are expected to talk with reporters on Nov. 7.
The Yankees have yet to hold an end-of-season press conference, meaning the GM meetings will likely be the first time Brian Cashman addresses a campaign he previously called a “disaster.”
WHO ARE FREE AGENTS, AND WILL ANY BE BACK?
The Yankees have seven free agents: starters Luis Severino, Frankie Montas and Luke Weaver; relievers Wandy Peralta, Keynan Middleton and Zach McAlister; and utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Montas, Peralta and Middleton have the best odds of returning, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if all of the Yankees’ free agents walked.
EXTERNAL FREE AGENTS AND TRADE TARGETS?
The Yankees have a lot of needs after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, so they’ve naturally been linked to a few of the top free agents.
Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger are two big names to watch, while Kevin Kiermaier would also make sense as a stopgap in center with Domínguez set to miss at least a few months of the 2024 season.
Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell will also be available if the Yankees want to upgrade their rotation, but offense needs to be a priority. If the team wants to add a third baseman, Matt Chapman and Jeimer Candelario could be options.
As for trade targets, none should be more enticing than Juan Soto — if the Padres make the young superstar available. The Cardinals also have a bevy of young hitters who make sense for the Yankees, including Brendan Donovan and Dylan Carlson.
OWNERS MEETINGS
Team owners, including Hal Steinbrenner, will meet in Arlington, Texas from Nov. 14-16. These meetings don’t always produce hot stove news, but owners will be voting on the Athletics’ proposed relocation to Las Vegas.
RULE 5 DRAFT PROTECTIONS
Teams must protect eligible prospects from the Rule 5 Draft by Nov. 14. Players who are not protected can be drafted by other teams in December. To be protected, players have to be added to the 40-man roster within five seasons if they signed at age 18 or younger or within four years if they signed at age 19 or older.
Not every unprotected player will be drafted, as Rule 5 Draft picks are placed on the drafting team’s 26-man roster. Such players must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 26-man roster next season. Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his original team for $50,000 and can be outrighted to the minors only if the original club does not wish to reacquire him.
The Yankees’ Rule 5-eligible prospects include catchers Carlos Narvaez, Josh Breaux, Agustin Ramirez, Anthony Seigler and Antonio Gomez; infielders Andrés Chaparro, Alexander Vargas and Jared Serna; outfielders Elijah Dunham and Brandon Lockridge; and pitchers Clayton Beeter, Edgar Barclay, Matt Sauer and Mitch Spence.
Beeter, the Yankees’ 16th-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline, is a clear choice for Rule 5 protection.
ARBITRATION AND NON-TENDER DEADLINES
The Yankees have 17 players eligible for arbitration: second baseman Torres, closer Clay Holmes, starter Domingo Germán, reliever Trivino, starter Cortes, catcher Trevino, starter Michael King, starter Clarke Schmidt, reliever Jonathan Loáisiga, catcher Kyle Higashioka, outfielder/first baseman Jake Bauers, outfielder Franchy Cordero, outfielder Billy McKinney, reliever Matt Bowman, reliever Albert Abreu, reliever Jimmy Cordero and reliever Weber.
Nov. 17 is the deadline to non-tender contracts, while Jan. 12 is the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to file salary numbers that they believe are fair if no contract is agreed to. The two sides can still negotiate a contract after the filing deadline but would go to arbitration in February if no deal is reached.
Torres, Holmes, Cortes, Trevino, King and Schmidt are all no-brainers for tenders. Everyone else is either less of a clear-cut decision or a non-tender candidate.
POSSIBLE ROSTER CUT CASUALTIES
If the Yankees find themselves needing additional 40-man roster space, they have a few back-of-the-roster, non-arbitration-eligible players they can cut.
Options include Estevan Florial, Nick Ramirez and Anthony Misiewicz.
WINTER MEETINGS
The annual winter meetings take place from Dec. 3-6 in Nashville, Tennessee.
This year’s gathering of the baseball world won’t include any Judge hysteria, but moves are always made during this period. Expect the Yankees to be active if they haven’t already been by this point.
The MLB Draft lottery will take place during the meetings on Dec. 5. While the Yankees disappointed this year, they only have a 0.5% chance of receiving the No. 1 pick.
The Rule 5 Draft, meanwhile, is set for Dec. 6.
PITCHERS AND CATCHERS
The World Series just ended, but the return of baseball is only a few months away.
Pitchers and catchers will report to camp in mid-February, and position players won’t be far behind. The Yankees’ first spring training game is set for Feb. 24.