Reports from around baseball have surfaced in the wake of the Cody Bellinger signing that the Yankees are still looking for a right-handed hitting option for their already overcrowded outfield. So we examine three potential fits for that search.

FREE AGENT OPTION #1 (RECOGNIZABLE NAME): STARLING MARTE

The idea of another outfielder in the Bronx almost seems comical. The Yankees are already dealing with five names for three and a half positions. Obviously, after the resignings this offseason of Bellinger and Trent Grisham to go along with the captain, Aaron Judge, and the slighted switch-hitter, Jasson Dominguez, and the upstart prospect Spencer Jones, that Yanks outfield is overloaded. So why search for another name and a recognizable one in Starling Marte? And that question could be easily answered with the Yankees’ brass should NOT. Marte has been a talented player for a long time in MLB.

However, Starling is now thirty-seven years old, and by baseball standards, that’s way past the prime of his career. Also, when you examine his Statcast numbers, everything is entirely far too unimpressive to be helpful for a team that believes they have the team in-house to compete for a title in 2026. (Well, at least by what’s being said publicly, if that’s honestly believed and not just a marketing ploy to keep fans “invested” for the sake of the season’s financials.) Starling Marte brings a name and some potential intangible leadership qualities to a team and clubhouse that’s already brimming with leaders. But as far as on-field, the help Marte can provide seems to have been left behind a few years ago across town with the New York Mets. It would behove the Yankees to avoid Starling Marte at all costs.

FREE AGENT OPTION #2 (RUN IT BACK REUNION): AUSTIN SLATER

When examining the case for Austin Slater’s return to the Yankees, it’s built on the “running it back” premise. That said, Slater of the three candidates does provide the Yankees with the best fielding and base running option. There’s no question that the role of a fourth outfielder is not a glamorous one, and Austin Slater isn’t a glamorous player. However, his peripherals are seemingly inline with what the Yankees are looking for in their bench candidate. Slater provides New York with a decent defender and a slightly above-average base runner, according to sprint speed on StatCast. Reuniting with Austin Slater would fit the mold of this offseason for the Bronx Bombers. And while an ok fit, there is a slightly better option left on the free agent market.

FREE AGENT OPTION #3 (BEST OPTION LEFT): RANDAL GRICHUK

When it comes to the best remaining option for the specific parameters of the Yankees roster search, Randal Grichuk is the best available option. Grichuk won’t be the greatest defender or the fastest runner, but you don’t really need him to be those things. What Grichuk will be for the Yankees would be a reliable veteran bat who’s going to play and hit against lefties. Let’s examine his splits, shall we?

Obviously, there’s a difference in the number of games and at-bats that Grichuk has against righties and lefties. However, the sample size is enough against southpaws to make a reasonable assertion that his performance against left-handers can be replicated on a yearly basis. And thus, what the Yankees are looking for can be found in a player that should be relatively cost-effective, in Randal Grichuk. Randal won’t be the best player for the particular skillset that New York was looking for this offseason. But they waited too long to truly make the necessary moves of impact, and other teams scooped up the players that would have been better fits. Players that could have fit the mold of what New York wanted had they not waited so long could have seen Austin Hays, Lane Thomas, or even a reunion with Rob Refsnyder happen in the Bronx. But as the old sayings go, “you snooze, you lose, and the early bird gets the worm.” However, the Yankees must not wait much longer, or they may find themselves without even these players as potential options for their pursuit of a right-handed hitting outfielder.