Hal Steinbrenner shares Yankees offseason priorities beyond Juan Soto

NEW YORK — Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is prepared to prioritize Juan Soto this winter similar to how his club attacked the Aaron Judge sweepstakes two years ago.
“I’ve got ears,” Steinbrenner said on Wednesday at the Owners Meetings in Midtown. “I know what’s expected of me. It’s been a priority.”
He also understands that in order to get his team back to the World Series next year — and to win it next time — more work needs to be done, whether Soto re-signs or not.
“We do have other things to add, whether that’s via a free agent or whether that’s via a trade,” Steinbrenner added. “We’ve got some things we need to improve upon. Every club does.”
Asked what the focus will be beyond retaining Soto, Steinbrenner singled out pitching.
“Speaking hypothetically, I don’t think you can ever have enough pitching,” Steinbrenner explained. “We’re going to take a deep dive into the starting rotation, into the bullpen. We’ve been right in the middle of our free agent meetings, where we’re just going through every single player that’s out there. Then we start asking the hard questions and figure out how to improve.”
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Upgrades always exit and it behooves the Yankees to consider different ways to make their starting rotation even better. There’s also a chance that the starting staff remains the same entering next spring. With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil — who won the American League Rookie of the Year Award earlier this week — Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman, the Yankees have six starters.
In that sense, the Yankees could look to trade from within that surplus to upgrade other parts of their roster. The other option is to move forward with an excess knowing that injuries and unforeseen circumstances are always on the horizon. Think about Cole’s elbow injury this past spring, a complication that opened the door to Gil’s award-winning campaign.
Conversely, the bullpen needs reinforcements. Relievers Clay Holmes, Tim Hill, Tommy Kahnle and Jonathan Loáisiga are all free agents. Breakout closer Luke Weaver is the only high-profile carryover in the back of the bullpen beyond the likes of Mark Leiter Jr., Ian Hamilton, Jake Cousins and more.
The Yankees may decide to invest a chunk of their winter budget in high-leverage relievers, paying a premium for experience and track record. They can also elect to attack the trade market, using prospect capital to bring in top-tier relief options. Expect the Yankees’ pitching department to be on the hunt for more reclamation projects as well. That’s been the organization’s specialty over these last few years.
Soto shouldn’t be the only player the Yankees add on offense as well.
First base has been a weakness for years. Anthony Rizzo is a free agent after the Yankees smartly declined his team option for next year. Unless Ben Rice takes a big step forward this winter or Rizzo can prove he’s a bounce-back candidate, the Yankees will be better off bringing in a new face at the position, a slugger who can also play reliable defense.
Depending on where Jazz Chisholm Jr. plays next year, there will be a hole to fill on the infield. Gleyber Torres is a free agent and his Yankees tenure is expected to come to an end. Either the Yankees get younger and give a prospect — like Caleb Durbin, who was added to the 40-man roster on Tuesday — a shot to impress or they need to acquire talent there, too. The only other internal alternative is veteran DJ LeMahieu, who is under contract (making $15 million per year) for two more seasons.
The outfield is also uncertain. Jasson Domínguez figures to play a bigger role in 2025, but if Soto signs elsewhere, one corner outfield spot will be open as well.
When it comes to payroll, Steinbrenner believes the Yankees are in a better position now than they were last year to spend. With money coming off the books this winter, the team’s projected payroll for 2025 is currently $238.8 million, per Cot’s Contracts.
Steinbrenner has previously stated that $300 million payrolls — a number the Yankees eclipsed in 2024 — are not sustainable. While he didn’t share a figure he’s willing to reach this winter, Steinbrenner did indicate that he’s open to considering any proposal from general manager Brian Cashman and his team.
“We’ve got the ability to sign any player we want to sign,” Steinbrenner said.
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Max Goodman may be reached at [email protected].