If Yankees sign these free agents, they can play like Rays ... and win like Rays

NEW YORK — An American League scout made up a word to sum up why the Yankees were swept out of the playoffs by the Rays.

“They were out ‘baseballed.’ That’s what the Blue Jays did to them last year and that’s what happened this year.”

Makes sense. The Yankees have a lot of stars, but they’re not a whole that’s better than the sum of their parts.

The Rays are mastering platoon usage the way the Blue Jays did last year. That’s why both teams beat the Yankees out for division titles, then ended their season in a best-of-five Division Series.

What the Yankees have been for years is a great regular season team that can’t get over the hump.

It’s time to change the dynamics of their roster.

They need more gamers, more right-handed hitters, more versatility, more players who can thrive in New York.

What the Yankees don’t need to do is spend $400 million on Tarik Skubal. They have plenty of aces and starting pitching depth.

I spent the last two days studying this offseason’s free agent market looking for good fits for the Yankees. I looked at traditional stats, metrics and trends. I went over options with an executive and a scout.

I came up with six free agents for the Yankees.

— Shore up the bullpen by bringing back closer David Bednar and high-leverage reliever Paul Blackburn.

— Sign three-time batting champion Luis Arraez to play second base.

— Sign super-utility player extraordinaire Mauricio Dubon to play a lot of third base and everyone else.

— Bring in Carson Kelly to share the catching duties with Austin Wells.

— Add Tyrone Taylor as the fourth outfielder.

“The Yankees need some gamers and that’s what those guys all are,” an MLB executive told NJ.com.

Here is the scoop on the six free agents with scouting reports from the executive:

Age: 29 (30 on April 9, 2027).

Contract status: Free agent.

Bats: Left.

2026 salary: $12M.

2026 stats: Giants & Phillies, .310 average, 596 AB, 67 runs, 185 hits, 33 doubles, 7 triples, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 10 SB, 1 CS, 34 BB, 28 K, .765 OPS, 151 games.

2026 splits: .314 average, 1 HR, .764 OPS in 194 PA vs. LHP; .308 average, 5 HR, .765 OPS in 445 PA vs. RHP.

The skinny: Three-time batting champion (2022-24) finished second by one percentage point this season to Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno. … Sat out final three regular-season games and the Phillies’ three playoff games with sprained ankle. … All-Star in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026. … Ranks fifth among active players with a .316 career average in 8 seasons with Twins (2019-22), Marlins (2023-24), Padres (2024-25), Giants (2026) and Phillies (2026). … Second base play improved from below average to Gold Glove-caliber this season due to work with Giants infield coach Ron Washington. … Had eight errors in 426 chances for .987 fielding percentage in 149 games at second base. … Had MLB best 4.3 strikeout rate in 2026.

MLB executive’s take: “Arraez is vastly underrated as a player, especially defensively. He made big improvements. I watched him a lot late in the year and he made all the plays. His beatdown was always bat speed, exit velo and the defense. I thought he did a good job this year really homing in on the defense and making it not a problem. Is he can upgrade from Jazz? Yeah, just from a makeup standpoint on top of hitting. The only thing that potentially would come to play with Arraez on the Yankees is would he start trying to hit home runs at Yankee Stadium? He hit a lot of balls in the air to right field compared to line drives when he got to Philadelphia. Now if you financially secure Arraez where he doesn’t feel like he needs to put up home run numbers … But if you give him a one-year, $12 million deal, he’s going to try to put up numbers, and you can’t blame him for that.”

Age: 29 (30 on April 9, 2027).

Contract status: Free agent.

Bats: Right.

2026 salary: $6.1M.

2026 stats: Braves, .276 average, 572 AB, 66 runs, 158 hits, 28 doubles, 3 triples, 12 HR, 73 RBI, 10 SB, 3 CS, 35 BB, 73 K, .719 OPS, 153 games.

2026 splits: .287 average, 8 HR, .743 OPS in 210 PA vs. LHP; .255 average, 4 HR, .675 OPS in 376 PA vs. RHP.

The skinny: One of majors’ best super-utility players established career highs for homers and RBI this year. … Committed costly error dropping a popup playing shortstop in season-ending Division Series loss, but is regarded as one of the best all-around defenders in the majors. … Won Gold Glove for utility in 2023 and 2025. … Made 145 starts at four positions this season – 75 in left field, 51 at shortstop, 14 in center field and 5 at third base. … Over his career has made 12 starts at first base, 159 at second, 132 at shortstop, 34 at third, 14 in right field, 145 in center and 145 in left. … Career .261 hitter in eight seasons with Brewers (2019), Giants (2019-22), Astros (2022-25) and Braves (2026). … One of two players in MLB history born in Honduras, along with Gerald Young (OF, 1987-94), but grew up in Sacramento, Calif.

MLB executive’s take: “As a player, Dubon’s multifaceted. He can move around the field. He’s got some sneaky pop. He finds the bat to the ball a lot. He’s not a real patient hitter, but he’s a sparkplug. He plays hard all the time. He’d give the Yankees more of baseball-player attitude than some of their guys have. The Rays have baseball players. Well, Dubon is a baseball player. I think he’s the kind of guy that needs to come into that team. They’re going to get rid of Chisholm, so that’ll be good.”

Age: 32 (33 on July 14, 2027).

Contract status: Free agent.

Bats: Right.

2026 salary: $5M.

2026 stats: Cubs, .258 average, 380 AB, 57 runs, 98 hits, 15 doubles, 10 HR, 58 RBI, 0 SB, 1 CS, 40 BB, 70 K, .713 OPS, 120 games.

2026 splits: .298 average, 6 HR, .871 OPS in 136 PA vs. LHP; .239 average, 5 HR, .639 OPS in 280 PA vs. RHP.

The skinny: Established career-bests for average and RBI in 2026. … Made 96 starts at catcher … Won 86 percent of ABS challenges as catcher, ranking among best in majors. … Career .234 hitter with .699 OPS in 11 MLB seasons with Cardinals (2016-18), Diamondbacks (2019-23), Tigers (2023-24), Rangers (2024) and Cubs (2025-26). … Standout receiver and game-caller scored high in Baseball Savant’s catching metrics, ranking ninth among 74 qualifiers with a plus-6 in blocks above average and 25th among 66 with a plus-1 in framing. … Threw out 20 of 83 basestealers for a 24.1 caught stealing percentage that was slightly above the 23.2 league average. … Had better defensive metrics and hitting stats in 2026 than free agent catcher Ryan Jeffers, who was targeted by Yankees this past summer before the Twins kept him.

MLB executive’s take: “Kelly is a tough out. He grinds his at-bats. Is he an All-Star? No. But you’re talking about a platoon with Austin Wells, who I think will be better next year. Kelly does well back there. He’s a good receiver. I think that’s a good fit for the Yankees. Kelly makes more sense to me than signing Jeffers.”

Age: 32 (33 on Jan. 22, 2027).

Contract status: Free agent.

Bats: Right.

2026 salary: $3.8M.

2026 stats: Mets & Cubs, .279 average, 219 AB, 36 runs, 61 hits, 16 doubles, 11 HR, 38 RBI, 3 SB, 2 CS, 14 BB, 41 K, .827 OPS, 97 games.

2026 splits: .318 average, 6 HR, .931 OPS in 118 PA vs. LHP; .239 average, 5 HR, .734 OPS in 123 PA vs. RHP.

The skinny: Finished season hitting .351 in 30 games with Cubs following trade on Aug. 3 from Mets with Clay Holmes for infielder prospect Jefferson Rojas. … Career .243 hitter in eight seasons with Brewers (2019-23), Mets (2024-26) and Cubs (2026). … Had a 12.2 strikeout rate and 6.1 walk rate in 2026. … In Baseball Savant’s Outs Above Average has career rankings of plus-10 in center field, plus-6 in left field and plus-5 in right field.

MLB executive’s take: “Tyrone is a gamer who’s got versatility in the outfield. That’s the reason he keeps finding a job. He can play center, too. Is he a Gold Glover? No, but he’s going to be just fine out there, just like Spencer Jones is. At the plate, Tyrone always has been a tough out. I’ve always liked him.”

Age: 31 (32 on Oct. 10, 2026).

Contract status: Free agent.

2026 salary: $9M.

2026 stats: Yankees, 7-3, 2.47 ERA, 35 saves, 64 games, 69.1 IP, 52 hits, 25 runs, 19 ER, 4 HR, 20 BB, 76 K.

Pitch mix: Splitter (90.8 mph, 41.2%, .149 OBA); Four-seamer (96.1 mph, 40.6%, .281 OBA); Curve (77 mph, 18.2%, .286 OBA).

The skinny: Was 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA and 11 saves in 13 chances in 21 appearances through May 18, then finished season with a 1.30 ERA and 24 saves in 26 chances over final 43 outings. … Ranks fifth in majors with 143 saves since 2022 and ninth with an 87.2 save percentage. … Was an NL All-Star in 2022 and 2023. … Led NL with 39 saves in 2023. … Has 25-26 record with 3.03 ERA in 379 games over 8 MLB seasons with Padres (2019-20), Pirates (2021-25) and Yankees (2025-26).

MLB executive’s take: “Bednar had a good year. That’s a guy that the Yankees should keep. He’s gone through the rigors of being at Yankee Stadium. This guy’s proven for two years now that in a in a high-octane place that he can do the job. I don’t know what more the Yankees could get on the market for that job.”

Age: 32 (33 on Dec. 4, 2026).

Contract status: Free agent.

2026 salary: $2M.

2026 stats: Yankees, 7-3, 1.69 ERA, 62 games, 2 starts, 85 IP, 60 hits, 19 runs, 16 ER, 7 HR, 33 BB, 69 K.

Pitch mix: Sinker (94.3 mph, 34%, .269 OBA); Changeup (87.5 mph, 21.4%, .090 OBA); Cutter (91.8 mph, 19.6%, .286 OBA); Curve (81.1 mph, 14.5%, .081 OBA); Sweeper (83.8 mph, 7.4%, .154 OBA).

The skinny: Had career-best 1.69 ERA in first full year as reliever. … Among MLB relievers ranked third in ERA, seventh in innings and tied for sixth in wins. … Allowed no runs while recording at least four outs in 22 appearances, second-most in majors. … Was 0-3 with 6.23 ERA in 15 games, 4 starts, with Mets and Yankees in 2025. … Was an All-Star in 2022 when he was 7-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 21 games, 20 starts, for 102-loss Athletics. … Has 29-34 record with 4.46 ERA in 163 games, 88 starts, over 10 MLB seasons with Athletics (2017-24), Mets (2024-25) and Yankees (2025-26).

MLB executive’s take: “We talk all the time about how you’ve got to have all the horses, and there’s some truth to that, but when you get to the playoffs, you need to have a reliever who can throw two innings. That’s what Blackburn can bring you. Blackburn was a starter forever and he remade himself. When you start, you have a different mentality of having to pace yourself. Now he’s throwing harder and he’s developed his secondary to be better than it ever has been. It’s pretty impressive. You look at the numbers and you’re like, ‘Holy crap!’ This dude had a great year. Blackburn is probably going to get a nice little raise now. He’s a Scott Boras guy. It’s going to be interesting to see what’s out there on the free agent market for him because of the versatility that he provides. You can put him in late. If it’s 1-1 in the fifth inning and Gerrit Cole is coming out because his pitch count’s up to 97, you’re comfortable bringing in Blackburn to get five or six outs. Eighty-five innings for a reliever is valuable. We’re going to find out how much value teams put on those 85 innings that he threw.”

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