The New York Yankees Last Dance

The Brian Cashman Situation

The most important thing to keep an eye on prior to the 2022 MLB season for the New York Yankees is whether or not general manager Brian Cashman receives a new contract extension. He signed a five-year contract worth 25 million dollars in 2017, so he only has one year remaining on that deal. It"s a little surprising that owner Hal Steinbrenner hasn"t already extended Cashman if his job is definitely safe. That leads to some speculation that Steinbrenner is considering a change beyond the 2022 season.

Brian Cashman is one of the most successful general managers in baseball. He has consistently built a team that always has a winning record and has even done it under the luxury tax threshold for the last several years. The Yankees haven"t had a losing season since 1992. The issue is the absence of a World Series over the last decade-plus. It"s not that Cashman has done a bad job, but it just may be time to turn the page to a new chapter. All good things come to an end eventually.

The entire Yankees roster was essentially built by Cashman. He has been in charge of the roster long enough to turn it over more than once through the years. The talent he"s collected has proven to play winning baseball but hasn"t proven that they are capable of winning a championship. Unless Cashman"s contract is extended, 2022 will be his last season with the Yankees, ending an era. He could be let go if they fall short of another World Series again and several of his players could be leaving with him.

New York Yankees Expiring Contracts

Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees organization have some major decisions to make about the roster beyond the 2022 MLB season. Several of their key players who have been a part of their main core are on the verge of free agency. They are all players that were brought in by Brian Cashman, either through the system or by acquisition. If they decide to move on from Cashman, they could also choose to turn the page on the roster as well.

The most important player that the Yankees need to make a decision on is Aaron Judge. He is the leader of the team, the face of the franchise, and one of their best overall players. He is entering the final year of his contract this year. He has been unable to lead the team to postseason glory but will have at least one more chance in the 2022 season. Nothing is guaranteed for him in The Bronx beyond that. He will be seeking a huge payday for the final contract of his prime years, but it may not be with the Yankees.

Several other Yankees players could potentially become free agents following the 2022 MLB season. The list includes Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, Chad Green, Luis Severino, Jameson Taillon, Gary Sanchez, and Joey Gallo. They are all building blocks for what was supposed to be a team competing for multiple World Series titles. They also all come with significant price tags. Steinbrenner may choose to move on from Cashman and send this big chunk of the payroll out the door with him. It"s an opportunity to start over if this team can"t win championships.

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