The 2025-2026 offseason did not go as Yankees fans had hope that it would, given the dismal end to last season. However, as things have played out, it seems that the offseason went exactly as planned by the front office. Brian Cashman and his team, adhered nearly exactly to the edict of the Yankee captain, Aaron Judge to “run it back with these guys.” This thought process left fans questioning, “why should the Yankees “run it back” with a team that lost the AL East division and had such a poor showing in the postseason? Yet, the front office has remained staunch in their process and approach to the offseason. That said, the Yankees remain in the hunt for a right handed bat. And while the preference is of an outfield bat, the Yankees already have too many outfielders than they have at-bats for in 2026. So where do the Bronx Bombers turn for a righty hitter? Well there is still a potent bat left on the market at a position that projects to give them absolutely close to nothing offensively in Ryan McMahon, and that bat is Eugenio Suarez. So let’s breakdown why the Yankees should sign Suarez.

LONG-TERM CONTRACT WON’T BE NECESSARY

The way this offseason has played out for many free agents is that of the short term, high AAV (average annual value) with opt outs type of contracts. And Suarez will likely be the next player to sign that type of deal. For the Yankees signing Suarez to a 1-3 year deal with opt outs built into each year of the contract allows both parties an exit should the lockout not lock things out. The other beneficial aspect of this kind of signing for New York is that it signals a willingness to play to the new standards being set by many top teams in the league (I.e. Los Angeles Dodgers.) Also, by signing Eugenio Suarez to a front loaded opt out laden contract, all but assures that Eugenio will not opt back into the contract unless injuries prevent him from performing. And this type of deal also protects the Yankees from dealing with an Anthony Rendon type of situation as well as a short term deal won’t hamstring the franchise for the long term future.

PROTECTION AND INSURANCE

The simple fact is that the Yankees will need a bat like Eugenio Suarez in their lineup in 2026. Think about the current lineup, the one in which general manager Brian Cashman called too left handed , before proceeding to spend all offseason courting the left handed bat of Cody Bellinger for a return. Signing Suarez gives the Bronx Bombers another bat capable of delivering a 30/100 type campaign in 2026. Think about a lineup that features a 3-4-5 middle of the order consisting of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Eugenio Suarez. Furthermore, think of this potential lineup as your Opening Day lineup against the San Francisco Giants on March 25th, 2026

Adding a player like Eugenio Suarez would give the Yankees a much more balance lineup than is currently projected. Without a player like Eugenio in the lineup, the Yanks will feature only three righty batter in Jose Caballero, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton. The lineup would also look far less intimidating than a batting order featuring Suarez. Eugenio would also be able to better protect Aaron Judge than the would be in-house player, Ryan McMahon. Aaron Judge is currently on a historic Hall of Fame level run that will likely be coming to a close sooner rather than later, and the Yankees need to capitalize on that window before it closes. By adding Suarez, the Yankees can help push the team to another level offensively and give Judge the support needed to make an extended postseason push a better possibility in 2026.

DEFENSE IS STILL COVERED

Obviously, the knock on Suarez will be for as talented a player offensively Eugenio is, is just how much his defense is lacking. Well, the Yankees already have the late game defensive replacement in-house with McMahon. The honest truth is paying a player $16 million to be a defensive replacement is not exactly how any team would want to invest those kind of funds. However, this is the grave that the Yankees have dug when McMahon was acquired last season. Yes, the combination of defensive prowess with the potential pull power at Yankee Stadium was tantalizingly. But that power never truly materialized during Ryan’s 29 home games in the Bronx. Having Suarez hitting in the Yankees lineup and then using McMahon as a defensive replacement late in games that the Yankees are winning would provide the Bombers with the best of both worlds.