Amed Rosario posted a 125 wRC+ against left-handed pitching last season. Al Bello / Getty Images
ORLANDO, Fla. — New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman called it a “problem” that his club’s lineup was too left-handed. One of his priorities this offseason was to achieve more lineup balance for manager Aaron Boone. Now, the Yankees have made progress in their desire to add more right-handed hitters.
On Saturday, New York re-signed utilityman Amed Rosario to a one-year, $2.5 million contract, a league source told The Athletic. The club initially acquired Rosario at last season’s trade deadline from the Washington Nationals for right-hander Clayton Beeter and outfielder Browm Martinez. For the past few offseasons, the Yankees have expressed interest in signing Rosario as a bench player, but they couldn’t finalize a deal because he also attracted interest from teams as a starter.
Rosario finished the 2025 season with a 125 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. The Yankees could use Rosario as a platoon option at third base with Ryan McMahon, who struggles against lefty pitching. Cashman said on Sunday night that the Yankees view McMahon as their starting third baseman despite his below-average offense.
“I think he’s an above-average, quality third baseman,” Cashman said. “Great defensive player. There’s strikeouts in his bat. Yes, he has power. He has plate discipline. And I think now with us getting a full spring training with him, a winter working with him, maybe we can unlock some things. I was excited he was one of the productive players in our postseason run this year on both sides of the ball and certainly makes our pitching staff better, especially when you have ground-ball guys like (Max) Fried and (Carlos) Rodón and all those groundballs going to that side of the field. So I think he was a good get. But are there areas to improve upon? Sure. And we look forward to seeing if we can.”
A considerably worse defender at third base than McMahon, Rosario finished the season with minus-5 outs above average and minus-4 Defensive Runs Saved. He has graded out as a negative defender at all of the positions he’s played in his career.
But the Yankees are not bringing back Rosario for his glove; they want him to hit lefty pitching. The team had the second-fewest plate appearances by right-handed hitters against left-handed pitchers last season. Cashman tried addressing the lack of a platoon advantage at the trade deadline by acquiring Rosario and Austin Slater, who quickly injured his left hamstring.
Rosario is a good addition for the Yankees, but they’ll need to make bigger moves to improve the overall team. The Yankees still need to finalize their left field plans, whether by re-signing Cody Bellinger or holding a spring training competition between Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, with an external right-handed platoon option. They also need to add more relievers after Devin Williams and Luke Weaver left in free agency. Cashman has also stated that the Yankees would be open to adding another starting pitcher, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt all on the injured list to begin the season.
