The New York Yankees must be huge buyers at this year’s free agency. After losing fairly uninspiringly in the American League division series to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees should have a bad taste in their mouth and look to right the ship. I have compiled a top-five list of the free agents the Yankees need to pursue if they want to hoist championship number 28 in 2026.
# 5 Kyle Tucker-OF-Cubs
The day the Yankees don’t pursue the biggest free agent on the market is the day the Yankees lose their charm. Kyle Tucker would command a large payday, but his stats warrant the money. When we talk about a left-handed 2025 All-Star who gets on base a ton and has the power to hit 30-plus home runs, we should be talking about a Yankee. New York may be discouraged at the price tag that comes with Tucker, but they must at least check in with the star who will likely get the largest contract of the offseason.
#4 Munetaka Murakami-1B-Japan
Whenever there is a foreign player whose nickname translates to “God,” it should pique your interest, and it should definitely grab Brian Cashman‘s interest as the Yankees have needed a first baseman for a decade and a half now. Murakami would fit the Yankees like a glove. Since Cashman took over team building, they have been dead set on the home runs. Murakami is an absolute slugger, but he isn’t a perfect player. His stats against high velocity are less than ideal. The only question is, will this be the reason why the Yankees steer away from the Japanese great, or will it be the reason they get him at a bargain?
#3 Michael King-SP-Padres
Could there be a happy reunion in The Bronx? Maybe. Michael King has stacked up a track record of being a very solid major league starting pitcher dating back to his time for the Yankees. There is no reason to think there would be bad blood between the two parties after King was dealt from New York to San Diego in the Juan Soto blockbuster, which is a great sign. King, who is only 30 years old, has quite the resume; they could give him the longer-term deal he might want.
#2 Cody Bellinger-OF-Yankees
The lone re-signing on this list is Cody Bellinger, the do-it-all all outfielder for the Yankees last year. He shined in his one year as a Yankee and based on a lot of reports, he seems to be the Yankees’ top priority. The one thing that could prohibit this is that the Yankees will face a lot of competition for a player who hit nearly 30 home runs, 100 runs batted in, played all three defensive outfield positions and has great speed. The one flaw in Bellinger’s game in the 2024 campaign was his playoff run. One homerun and a .651 OPS was less than ideal for the second most impactful Yankee hitter during the regular season.
#1 Tatsuya Imai-SP-Japan
A high strikeout, low walk pitcher who just dominated in Japan with a 1.92 ERA. SIGN. ME. UP. Imai has a fastball that can reach 99 miles per hour, along with great command. Cashman and the Yankees should be pounding the table for the 27-year-old ace. While the NPB to the MLB is far from a seamless transition, the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers seem to be the only team capitalizing on all the talent in that league. Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki were all highly scouted by the Yankees, but they did not land the Japanese stars and to their own demise. Cashman cannot make the same mistake with Imai, as he is young, durable, dominant and has the demeanor to handle the bright lights of New York. He shouldn’t break the bank, and adding him to a rotation of Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Cam Schlittler, should be a recipe for a Yankees championship in 2026.
No brainer, right? We will see what the Yankees do as this potentially great free agency heats up.
