Major League Baseball’s general managers are meeting in Las Vegas this week while the threat of a work stoppage hangs over the sport. The collective bargaining agreement ends at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, and owners intend to lock the players out right after that deadline passes. Once the lockout begins, no trades or signings can happen. This means the window to move players is closing fast for a team that just suffered another embarrassing ALDS loss, according to the New York Daily News.
So far the Yankees have remained silent, yet sources external to the organization think the Bombers will act before the baseball world shuts down. This is a different situation from the last time a lockout occurred, which lasted from Dec. 2, 2021, to March 20, 2022. Before the CBA expired, teams committed more than $2 billion in free agency during that previous freeze. The Yankees held off on major moves until after the lockout, doing nothing during that spending spree. According to the New York Daily News, re-signing Anthony Rizzo was their sole significant transaction in free agency during the last offseason.
Cashman Must Clear Roster Clogs
Before the 40-man roster freezes, General Manager Brian Cashman must address the roster clogs he faces. It is unlikely that he will invest significant funds in any of the members of the upcoming free agent class. The priority is to clear space for new talent before the transaction freeze hits. The Yankees players most likely to depart are Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil, who currently sit at the bottom of the starting rotation depth chart.
A brutal few weeks post-spring training caused Luis Gil to fall out of the rotation. After returning from injury late in the year, he could not recover his command in a bullpen role. The team accepted the loss of Oswaldo Cabrera to provide Clarke Schmidt an opportunity for a late-season bullpen role following his Tommy John recovery. With only one year left before free agency, Schmidt experienced renewed soreness and did not make his case.
A Truncated Offseason Ahead
As team leaders lay the groundwork for future moves, the GM Meetings usually act as the initial benchmark of a long offseason. The Winter Meetings, which are typically held the very next week, are already off the board. A looming lockout is expected to truncate the offseason just as business time is about to begin. With slightly more than three weeks remaining until a likely work stoppage, Brian Cashman and his counterparts will convene in Las Vegas this week for the general managers meetings, reports the New York Post.
Hal Steinbrenner is among those caping for a cap. After another early playoff exit, the club needs to pick itself up off the mat. The time for introspection is almost over. Major league transactions are set to freeze when the collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 1, per the New York Post. Las Vegas will host the GM Meetings from Monday through Thursday.
