The 2025 Yankees didn’t fall short because they lacked star power; they fell short because the offense vanished in October from key spots (including Anthony Volpe, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm) and the bullpen leaked in leverage. With a starting rotation that should be one of the league’s best in 2026 (three arms set to return from the IL), this winter should be about finishing games and raising the floor up the middle.

Below: four pillars aligned to 2025 realities—and the three concrete moves to make now.

Pillar 1 — Lock in the Lefty Anchor (Move #1: Sign Cody Bellinger)

2025 impact (Yankees): 29 HR, 98 RBI, .814 OPS in 152 games. That’s steady, middle-of-the-order thump over a full slate.

Versatility: played all three outfield spots and first base, letting the Yankees cover injuries and matchups without sacrificing defense.

Fit: a left-handed approach that plays perfectly to the short porch and stabilizes the 2–5 pockets of the order. In 2026, Bellinger profiles as the everyday LF with periodic shifts to 1B—lowering lineup volatility in October.

Pillar 2 — Bank the Last Three Outs (Move #2: Sign Devin Williams to a 1-year prove-it deal)

What 2025 told us: a 4.79 ERA (career worst) but an underlying xERA near 3.09; zero of six inherited runners scored; a 2.50 ERA from Aug. 10 to season’s end; a 0.00 ERA in the postseason; and performance stabilization when usage shifted to setup.

2026 plan: a one-year, incentive-laced deal (with option flexibility). Open camp with Williams as the favorite for the ninth, manage back-to-backs and pitch-shape consistency, and let the 30%+ strikeout ceiling reassert over a full season. Late-inning strikeouts remain the biggest marginal upgrade the Yankees can buy.

Pillar 3 — Fortify the Middle (Move #3: Choose ONE path — SS or 2B)

Path A — Shortstop: Nico Horner (contact/OBP floor, clean actions, baserunning value) or Corey Seager (if pried loose: middle-order lefty with October pedigree).

Path B — Second base: Ketel Marte (if willing to come to New York) for switch-hitting pop and gap power; if Marte lands, slide Jazz Chisholm to shortstop to keep range and athleticism up the middle.

Why just one? You need one everyday up-the-middle answer with above-average defense and a contact floor. Over 162, that can net 20–30 runs saved/created when you combine defense, RISP execution, and baserunning IQ.

Pillar 4 — Capital Allocation (Both Must Go to Land the Upgrade)

To complete either Path A (SS) or Path B (2B), the Yankees will have to move both Jasson Domínguez and Jose Caballero or Anthony Volpe in a headliner package. Their individual value won’t net those names; this must be a both-players + prospects offer to match 2026 urgency and the acquisition cost for elite, controllable talent.

Return standard (no exceptions): the package must return one of the following on Day 1 — a top-tier shortstop or a top-tier second baseman who profiles as an October-relevant regular (3–5 WAR range, defense + contact).

Guardrails: clean medicals/pitch-shape data for any arm included; do not accept a bat-only shortstop; retain at least one top-10 pitching prospect to backfill injuries.

2026 Staff Configuration: How You Fix the Bullpen

Assuming Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return to the rotation, reallocate depth to stabilize leverage: move Ryan Yarbrough, Will Warren, and Clarke Schmidt into bullpen roles to create multi-inning length and matchup flexibility.

With Williams re-established at the back end, Aaron Boone can shorten games to seven innings, avoid the third-time-through penalty, and stop the late-inning leaks that hurt against the Blue Jays in the 2025 postseason.

The 2025 Postmortem → The 2026 Mandate

Bats went quiet in October — including Volpe, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm — when base hits, not big flies, were at a premium. The bullpen cracked in leverage, flipping tight games.

Fix those two pressure points and, with a healthier rotation, the Yankees are built for deep October.

The To-Do List (short and ruthless)

1) Sign Cody Bellinger: keep the 2025 production (29 HR, 98 RBI, .814 OPS) and defensive elasticity. 2) Sign Devin Williams: a 1-year, payroll-smart prove-it deal; manage him deliberately until the ninth is undeniably his again. 3) Choose ONE path up the middle — SS (Horner/Seager) OR 2B (Marte with Jazz to SS) — and pay the real price: both Domínguez and Caballero or Volpe, plus top prospects.

Execute these three moves across these four pillars, and the Yankees don’t just look better in 2026—they look engineered for the final six outs of October, where parades are won.