It might be more of an old-school way of thinking, but a solid foundation up the middle is what all great teams are built on. Austin Wells has struggled offensively but has emerged as a standout defender for the New York Yankees. George Lombard Jr. also looks pretty solid, despite a few hiccups.
The Yankees just haven't had much consistency in center field. Brett Gardner is probably the best one they have had in the last 20 years, and Gardy retired after the 2021 season.
The Yankees put Aaron Judge out there for a time, and his center field career ended in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series when he dropped a fly ball. Trent Grisham has been one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball over the last decade, but then, when his bat finally turned around in New York, his glove regressed.
This left the Yankees to trot out rookie Spencer Jones, who, despite having fresher legs than Grisham, had a -4 Outs Above Average in center. It was only a slight upgrade from Grisham's -6 OAA. Over a full season, Jones could have been even worse by the metrics.
The trade route
If the Yankees want to find a center fielder, they likely won't snag one from free agency. Funny enough, Grisham is leading the pack, but the only way he should even be a thought to come back is as a corner outfielder. The next best options are Daulton Varsho, who can't hit, and Luis Robert Jr., who is injury-prone and can't hit.
The fact is, the Yankees don't have many options to sign, so finding a suitable trade partner might be their only chance. It's a long shot, but one name the Yankees can look to is Oneil Cruz, the charismatic lefty masher named after Paul O'Neill.
Cruz might take some prying to get out of Pittsburgh's hands, but the Yankees have been linked to him for years. In fact, Cruz was linked to the Bombers dating back to the summer of 2025. Nothing materialized, but if that's true, it's a name that's been in the front office's crosshairs for at least two years.
If the 2026 postseason — and really any postseason over the last 17 years — has taught the Yankees anything, it's that they can't get the big hit when it counts. They annihilated the Boston Red Sox, then followed it up with a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. While the idea of trading Luis Garcia Jr. has been floated, they should keep a bat like his and add another dynamic one. Cruz fits that billing.
Despite playing only 97 games, Cruz hit .280/.368/.486 with a 132 wRC+. He hit 20 home runs and stole 30 bases. Defensively, he recorded a -1 OAA in center, which is an upgrade over Jones and Grisham.
Ben Cherington and Brian Cashman do have some history, too. Pirates fans probably aren't happy with some of the deals they have made, starting with Clay Holmes in 2021, David Bednar last year, and Camilo Doval's salary dump this year. Their squeamishness about dealing with the Yankees is fair.
Potential names in a O'Neil Cruz-Yankees deal
The difference between this one and the others is that the Pirates would have the upper hand here. Cruz isn't being dealt for the equivalent of Hoy Jun Park—the main piece in the Holmes trade. Cherington would be well within his rights to ask for the cream of the crop in the Yankee farm system.
It could be a combination of Dax Kilby, the lone position player at the top of the Yankees' top prospect lists, along with Elmer Rodriguez, Carlos Lagrange, Ben Hess, and the newest top prospect on the farm, Hunter Dietz. Other names have also emerged, including Wilberson De Pena. That's another high-upside name that they could deal for Cruz.
Whatever the Yankees do to bolster their offense while also getting younger and more athletic is the route that they should take heading into this offseason. The pitching is solid, and they'll likely need to add some bullpen arms as well, but offense should be prioritized. That's why they have failed in the postseason for as long as they have.
Plus, it's the Yankees. That YES Network crew is probably bored of the lore with Cody Bellinger and his dad, Clay. They might need a new photo op between Cruz and the man he's named after. Paul O'Neill.
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