Hal Steinbrenner’s push to tighten the Yankees’ payroll is poised to reshape their entire offseason strategy, and Cody Bellinger might be the first name caught in the ripple. Steinbrenner reportedly wants the team’s spending to be under $300 million for 2026, which is why Bellinger originally seemed like the easier fit than Kyle Tucker. A deal around $200 million is a lot simpler to stomach than a contract that could push $400 million.

But if an even more affordable option emerges, the budget-minded Yankees could shift in that direction instead. And now, according to New York insider Chris, there’s a new name being floated, one that supposedly fits the Yankees perfectly in both cost and on-field value.

“A trade for Brendan Donovan would solve a lot of the issues the Yankees are facing this offseason,” Chris shared via X.

Well, Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals looks like the perfect all-around target for the Yankees, solving several roster issues at once.

Notably, he can play second, third, and all three outfield spots, giving Aaron Boone the defensive flexibility he’s been missing. Offensively, Donovan’s contact skills and ability to get on base help balance out the swing-and-miss problems that hurt the Yankees in 2025. He posted a strong .287/.353/.422 line last season with 10 HRs in 515 plate appearances. Thus, showing he can be a steady presence anywhere in the lineup.

Chris also notes that Donovan would come with an extremely affordable price tag, around a $6 million AAV! He reportedly made $2.85 million in 2025 through arbitration and will stay under team control through 2028 before hitting free agency.

Hence, financially, he fits the Yankees’ luxury-tax plan perfectly, offering way more production than his projected 2026 arbitration salary. And that kind of efficiency would let the Yankees devote more of their budget to the bullpen or bolstering the starting rotation.

Sure, Cody Bellinger is the bigger name and the more complete player, but at $6 million versus $27.5 million? For a payroll-conscious Yankees front office, Donovan’s value is pretty hard to ignore.

The Yankees would not go unchallenged in getting Donovan

Well, getting hands on a player as utilitarian and cost-effective as Donovan is surely easier said than done. The Yankees are reportedly set to be challenged by the Dodgers in this case.

Targeting their third straight championship, the Dodgers have every reason to chase more true utility players. Someone who can weather a 162-game season and give Dave Roberts the flexibility he lacked late last year. And that’s where Brendan Donovan becomes such a clean fit.

He’s the type of player who quietly solves multiple problems at once. Most notably, he’s capable of playing both corner outfield spots that the Dodgers need to reinforce. He could essentially serve as the Dodgers’ safety net everywhere on the field while still bringing steady on-base skills to the lineup.

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And then there’s the financial angle. Unlike the Yankees, the Dodgers have the freedom to blow past the projected $6 million AAV it would take to acquire Donovan.

That puts real pressure on the Yankees. For them, moving early might be the only way to avoid watching another useful, cost-efficient player slip away. Otherwise, it risks becoming another all-too-familiar storyline in New York. The Yankees express interest, they talk big… But in the end, a more aggressive team steps in and gets the deal done.