Should He Stay or Should He Go

"Should he stay or should he go?" is a popular game that newspapers and fan sites love to play about their favorite baseball teams at the end of a disappointing season.  That's certainly the case for the New York Yankees, who should look vastly different in 2022 than they did in 2021. 

The 2021 season was, to say the least, frustrating and inconsistent.  There were flashes of what the team was supposed to be, but also far too many stretches where they looked like a Triple-A club.  The result?  Going out with a whimper in the Wild Card Game, extending the streak to 12 consecutive years without a pennant.

Simply put, it isn't working.  And when it's not working, change is in order.  Which is why I expect the 2022 Yankees to feature a number of new faces.  Not everybody needs to go, though.  Here are some of the more prominent Yankees whose futures are up in the air, and whether they deserve to keep their pinstripes or not...

Aaron Boone: GO
Frankly, the decision on whether to fire Boone or not shouldn't be a hard one.  Fans were calling for his head in July, but he got the dreaded "vote of confidence" from Hal Steinbrenner (can we fire Hal instead?).  Yes, he made the playoffs all four years and won 100 games twice.  But he also never won a pennant, and this year's team greatly underachieved.  Worse, he said the rest of the league has "caught up."  No, Aaron, the rest of the league has surpassed the Yankees!  His original four-year contract is up, so they can politely say that his contract "wasn't renewed" instead of saying he was fired.  Either way, Boone should be gone.  Hopefully he takes Phil Nevin with him!

Anthony Rizzo: STAY
Rizzo came up huge during his two months in pinstripes.  He and the Yankees proved to be a perfect fit, and he's already said he wants to come back.  And why wouldn't he?  They would be idiots not to lock him up long-term!  Last offseason, they made re-signing LeMahieu a priority and he ended up staying for six years.  This offseason, they should do the same with Anthony Rizzo.

Luke Voit: GO
What happens with Voit will be almost completely dependent on what happens with Rizzo.  Because I don't see a situation where they keep both first basemen.  And, frankly, Rizzo's the better option.  He's left-handed and better defensively.  Plus, Voit, obviously, had all sorts of injury issues.  If Rizzo comes back, Voit will be shopped.  If he doesn't, Voit stays.

Gleyber Torres: STAY
While some people are ready to give up on Gleyber Torres, I'm not.  I still think there's too much upside there.  I just think it was a matter of the errors getting in his head.  So, they need to decide if he's the shortstop or he's the second baseman.  Because that'll determine what they do in free agency.  It also directly impacts DJ LeMahieu and the next guy on the list.

Gio Urshela: GO
This one comes with an asterisk.  It's really predicated on if the Yankees pursue Corey Seager or any of the other free agent shortstops and move Gleyber to second.  That would shift LeMahieu to third and make Gio expendable.  If they decide to stick with Gleyber at short, Gio coming back to play third wouldn't upset me.  And, they're both arbitration-eligible (not free agents), so it wouldn't surprise me at all to see them both return.

Joey Gallo: GO
I'll admit I was excited about the Gallo trade.  On paper, it seemed like a perfect fit.  But there were far too many lows and not nearly enough highs during his two months in the Bronx.  And he's simply not worth what they'll need to pay him in arbitration.  Not with Aaron Hicks expected back to play center field next season, and especially not when they'll have to pay Aaron Judge, either in arbitration or in a long-term deal before he hits free agency in 2023.  So, it's not that I would be opposed to Gallo coming back.  It's just that he's more expendable.

Brett Gardner: STAY
Gardner has a standing offer for a one-year contract at this point, so I expect him to be back once again.  And, frankly, it's a good thing he has one.  Because he's the only outfielder on the team who can seem to stay healthy!  Don't forget, Gardner's standing one-year contract offer is to be the fourth outfielder and a defensive replacement.  He's ended up playing more than expected because everyone else keeps getting hurt, but if he's ever able to actually be the fourth outfielder/pinch runner he's intended to be, fans would be less up-in-arms about the last link to the 2009 champs still being on the roster.

Clint Frazier: GO
At what point do you accept the fact that the Clint Frazier thing didn't work out and cut your losses?  It's not entirely his fault.  He just can't stay on the field!  But that's a problem.  They still think he's a potential All*Star, and he very well might be.  But I think even Clint Frazier would tell you that he needs a change of scenery.

Miguel Andujar: GO
Andujar's a different story than Frazier.  He's still got a lot of upside (especially now that he's become a capable left fielder).  They just don't have a place to play him!  So, instead of making him languish in Scranton, sell high while he still has trade value.

Corey Kluber: GO
Taking a flier on Corey Kluber last winter wasn't a bad idea.  And it did pay off to an extent.  He threw a no-hitter after all!  But he went on the IL right after that and wasn't nearly as good when he returned.  Again, it was worth giving it a shot, especially considering what the state of the rotation entering the 2021 season was.  The rotation is in a much better place entering 2022, which makes Kluber unnecessary.

Jameson Taillon: STAY
"If Kluber's unnecessary, how come you're keeping Taillon?," you might ask.  Well, let me explain.  Other than the obvious facts that Taillon is younger and making less money, he was arguably the Yankees' best pitcher at stretches this season, and he's proven to be completely over his Tommy John surgery.  So, yes, I'm keeping Taillon as the fifth guy to go along with Cole, Severino, Montgomery and German.

Chad Green: STAY
Green isn't going anywhere.  He isn't a free agent until after the 2022 season.  But he is eligible for arbitration and, theoretically, due a hefty raise.  Which he deserves!  The Yankees bullpen seems like it's full of interchangeable parts, which is true to an extent.  But those interchangeable parts are what get you to Green and Chapman.  And, with Zack Britton having Tommy John surgery, Green is clearly the eighth-inning guy in front of Chapman next season.

Darren O'Day: GO
You didn't even remember Darren O'Day was on the Yankees, did you?  That's because he pitched in a grand total of 12 games before landing on the IL for the rest of the season.  He's 38 years old and has indicated he might retire.  Even if he doesn't, I can pretty much guarantee he won't be wearing pinstripes in 2022.