The outfield market is going to be a key part of the Yankees‘ offseason plans, as they have a lot of routes they could take for filling out their lineup.
With a return of Cody Bellinger on the table, a pursuit of a star in Kyle Tucker not ruled out, and uncertainty regarding the futures of Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones, there’s a lot of fluidity with their alignment.
It’s no guarantee that the team is going to add two outfielders, but there’s also no certainty that the team keeps two of its top young players after this winter.
Right-handed hitting was an issue for the Yankees, and Taylor Ward is someone who could solve some of those issues with a big swing that launched 36 homers last season.
If the team brings back Cody Bellinger (or any centerfielder) and chooses to move on from Jasson Dominguez, could Ward be a possibility?
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Why Taylor Ward Could Be a Great Addition For the Yankees’ Offense
One issue with the Yankees’ projected outfield is Jasson Dominguez’s limitations as both a defender and hitter, which would force New York to acquire a fourth outfielder capable of becoming a starter midseason if needed.
Dominguez was one of the 10 worst defensive outfielders in baseball in terms of Fielding Run Value (-9), and he has yet to show a consistent approach against left-handed pitching.
We’re very early into his career, but sources told Empire Sports Media throughout last winter and this past summer that the team included him in multiple trade packages.
Brian Cashman did not treat Dominguez as an untouchable, and it leads me to believe that a return of Bellinger or a successful pursuit of Kyle Tucker could spell the end of his time here in the Bronx.
Fair or not, the Yankees are aware of Aaron Judge’s age and want to bring home a championship, and Jasson Dominguez doesn’t exactly fit what the team hopes to have in left field or centerfield.
In the case of Taylor Ward, his 114 wRC+ and .770 OPS is firmly above-average, serving as an everyday player who has success against left-handed and right-handed pitching.
He leads all left fielders over the last two seasons in home runs (61) and is 10th in WAR (5.8), as his solid defense and excellent power makes him a great fit for the lineup.
The Yankees can put him in left field every single day and not worry about pinch-hitting for him or platooning for him, getting tons of value as a righty who balances the lineup or hits near the top of the lineup against lefties.
A free agent after 2026, the Angels wouldn’t ask for the moon in return since he’d likely leave in free agency anyways, which could make him a good temporary fit for New York.
It would only be feasible to acquire Ward if the team acquired Cody Bellinger, not Kyle Tucker, since they’d need to have a centerfielder, but I love how the offense would lineup in this scenario:
Having Taylor Ward hit sixth regularly would give the Yankees a really strong offense with plenty of hitters who can do damage at any point of the game.
Austin Wells is a big part of this lineup because he has 20 HR power, but if he can get back to working walks the way he did in 2024, he could be a big cog for the offense.
Jose Caballero will likely be replaced by Anthony Volpe when he’s back, and you hope that the shortstop and third base positions provide passable offense with excellent defense.
Between Rice, Judge, Bellinger, Stanton, Chisholm, Ward, and Wells, you have 220 home runs and 30.4 WAR from last year, which would rank inside the top seven for MLB teams.
The Yankees could keep having an offense capable of ranking near or at the top of the league in runs scored, and they don’t have to deplete an incredible sum of assets to do so.