The New York Yankees’ 2025 season ended in disappointment. Despite steamrolling over one division, the Boston Red Sox, in the AL Wild Card Series, the Pinstripes fell short against another, the Toronto Blue Jays, in the Divisional Series.

Now, the Yankees are looking ahead to the 2026 season, and so are the Yankees on SI. Our staff is making one bold suggestion each as to what the Yankees should do in the offseason to prepare for 2026.

It’s the question on everyone’s minds: should the Yankees hold onto Boone or cut him loose and find a new manager?

While A-Rod may think Cashman is more of a problem than Boone is, I disagree. Sure, Cashman could work to provide better players, but the Yankees aren’t exactly struggling to find talent. The lineup is stacked with heavy hitters, the starting rotation is going to come back stronger than ever and even the weakest players on the team would be gold to a struggling franchise. It’s Boone’s lineup and relief decisions that have had fans and analysts scratching their heads all season.

The Pinstripes didn’t offer Joe Girardi an extension after failing to produce another World Series between 2009 and 2017, but he did produce a World Series. Sure, the Yankees went to the championship in 2024 under Boone, but for the winningest club in league history, that just isn’t enough. It’s time to hand the reigns to someone else.

— Delilah Bourque

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images / Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

2. Stop Being So Weird About Injuries

Between Anthony Volpe’s mysterious shoulder injury and Aaron Judge’s weird miscommunication with Aaron Boone about his elbow injury, I think fans would just love to hear some real talk from the front office. Let them be part of the conversation, let them root for recovery, let them know why a guy is messing up all summer if that’s what was going on. We all picked on Volpe for months. I think a communication reset is overdue in more ways than one — would love to hear less “we’re the best team in baseball” all year as well — but that’s a big one.

— Erin Shapland

Joe Ryan is a name the Yankees should consider acquiring this winter. The Minnesota Twins had already dangled him in trade talks during the deadline, and there’s a chance that happens again this winter. Ryan is a solid frontline starter and is under team control until 2028. You can slot him right at the top of the rotation between Gerrit Cole and Max Fried. It’ll take significant prospect capital to get a deal like this done, but it’s one of those instances where you get what you pay for. We’ve already seen what stacking the deck with frontline starters did for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it’s time for the Yankees to start doing that, too

— Joe Randazzo

4. Ditch Anthony Volpe

There may not be a player who would benefit from a change of scenery across the entire league more than Anthony Volpe. The former first-round pick and top prospect floundered after suffering his shoulder injury in May, and he simply was a shell of his former self defensively while continuing to produce at a well below average level offensively.

Some members of the Yankees’ brass may have confidence in Volpe as a long-term option at shortstop, but it’s time to move on. New York should explore a trade for the 24-year-old, who’d generate some form of a market, and subsequently sign the top free agent shortstop in Bo Bichette.

Oct 4, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) throws to first for an out in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Bichette, who has not played during the Toronto Blue Jays’ playoff run due to a left knee injury, bounced back from a poor 2024 campaign with a slash line of .311/.357/.483 to go alongside 18 home runs and 94 RBIs this season.

The two-time All-Star would work wonders at the top of the Yankees’ lineup, and bringing him in would also deliver a huge blow to their division rival.

— Jack Markowski

The New York Yankees need to think differently. In order to do that, they need to think of younger options and replacements that don’t win them a World Series now, but now and later. Because, frankly, their team wasn’t good enough to compete for one this season.

Bringing in new faces makes sense for New York, and it starts with Bellinger. With his lack of postseason success, it’s time for a new attempt. Kyle Tucker makes all the sense in the world for the Yankees as a player who can come in and provide youth and plenty of starpower.

It’s not a downgrade at all, and instead of just trying it again with the same group, the Yankees would be learning from their mistakes.

— Noah Strackbein

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