The NY Yankees had a rough season in 2014 and now they may have to spend their way out of this hole they are in and names like Victor Martinez, James Shields, Hanley Ramirez, Max Scherzer and Nelson Cruz could be potential free agent targets, while many think the team could also look at a Troy Tulowitzki trade as an option to replace Derek Jeter after he retired.
The Yankees were right in the mix for most of the season, but they dealt with a ton of injuries and ended up missing the playoffs for the second straight year. According to ESPN.com writer Wallace Matthews, the Yankees likely will be going after victor Martinez and James Shields the hardest on the free agent market, while Hanley Ramirez also could be an option. Many like Hanley as a replacement for Derek Jeter, but with his injury issues and high contract demands, the Yankees may stay away.
Shield's looks like the most logical option, as he is still in his 30s and is on the younger side and he will not cost as much as a Lester or a Scherzer. The Yankees don't want to spend a crazy amount of money again after what they did last year, but they may have to do that to get out of this mess. Shields will be on the lower side of things compared to Lester and since he is an innings eater, it's another reason the Yankees may go after him.
Martinez is getting into his upper 30s and while he is a great player, the Yankees really can't afford to sign another aging veteran on a big deal. Carlos Beltran did not work out last season and while Brian McCann was great behind the plate, while hitting at it he was not so hot last year. Last season Hanley Ramirez hit .283 and had 13 home runs and 71 RBIs, while Martinez had 32 home runs and over 100 RBIs, but he will be 36 by the end of this year and that could be an issue.
The Yankees spent over $400 million last season and none of that went to Robinson Cano and now they need to add some offense and they could use a pitcher too. Troy Tulowitzki often comes up when talking about the Yankees replacing Jeter, but the teams imply doesn't have the prospects to make a deal worthy for the Rockies. The team is going to take a hard look at Ramirez, but that may come down to the money.
Nelson Cruz is another player the Yankees could look at and while he will be 35 years old, he could come in on a short term deal after the season he had with the Orioles. A number of teams wished they had Cruz last season after letting him sign with the Orioles, as he was the only player with 40 home runs and he also was impressive with 108 RBIs in 159 games for Baltimore. Age will be the main issue with Cruz and he has said that he wouldn't mind staying with the Orioles, but the Yankees really need a bat.