sportingnews
After yet another early playoff exit, the New York Yankees are confronting difficult questions about their roster construction. While injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are often cited as reasons for their shortcomings, the team's deeper issues cannot be overlooked. The franchise has now gone 17 years without a World Series title, and many analysts point to how the roster has been assembled as a primary factor.
General manager Brian Cashman bears the responsibility for these decisions. This offseason, he must determine the futures of 10 impending free agents, including four position players and six relief pitchers. Among them is third baseman Amed Rosario, a 10-year veteran who was brought back last winter for his energy and his ability to hit left-handed pitching.
However, Rosario's performance in 2025 fell short of expectations. For the first time in his career, he actually posted a higher OPS against right-handed pitchers than against left-handers. That reversal is problematic for the Yankees, given how they structured their roster. “They re-signed him last offseason to come off the bench and to hit lefties, and he failed to do that,” wrote Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
In 87 games, Rosario recorded a -0.2 bWAR with a .238/.279/.405 slash line and a .684 OPS. Those numbers are far from impressive. “Rosario posted a 65 wRC+ against lefties in 160 plate appearances,” Kirschner added. “Poor batted-ball luck hurt his numbers, but he didn't have encouraging contact quality metrics to begin with.” Additionally, Rosario's defensive abilities are not reliable at any position.
Kirschner predicts that the Yankees will allow Rosario to sign elsewhere this offseason. The team has internal alternatives at third base in Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero. For now, Ryan McMahon is penciled in as the starter.
Key Analysis
Rosario's struggles against left-handed pitching and his defensive limitations make him expendable. With younger options available and a need to optimize the roster, the Yankees are expected to move on from the veteran infielder.
Originally reported by sportingnews.