Christmas has come and gone in the Bronx, but judging by the mood of the New York Yankees, it seems like Santa didn’t even bother stopping by. While the division rivals were busy loading up, the Yankees spent the holiday season standing in limbo. The Grisham deal, some small movies, and then…silence.

Sure, one big name they have on their top priority list is Cody Bellinger, but apart from that one name making it into the rumor mills is one other: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. On paper, the move feels very “Yankee.” Skubal is a two-time Cy Young winner, 29 years old, and coming off a dominant season where he led the AL in ERA (2.21), WAR (7.6), and WHIP (0.89) and struck out 241 batters.

If you are serious about winning, then that’s the arm you chase. But chasing and landing them are different things, and the Yankees may have to realize one thing—their franchise might just be too broke to make any moves now. And who can tell this better than an ex-player himself!

Former Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier, in his podcast, summed up what the fans already have an inkling about—the owner is broke, the GM wants to move, and the organization sits still back thinking this roster can still win the division. But the question is, can they? Well, there are major question marks.

First, Cody Bellinger is unsigned, the shortstop situation is wrecked, and three starters expected to begin in 2026 are on the injured list. There is also no real clarity on the outfield. So Frazier summed it up best, saying, “No way,” that the roster of the previous year is better.

When it comes to Tarik Skubal, particularly, Frazier was realistic and mentioned, “So Tarik Skubal could be an interesting option. I doubt that option materializes. Okay, I’m just trying to be realistic. Put him at the top because you guys want him. So, at the top, Tarik Skubal, maybe it’ll happen. It’s probably not. Let’s just be realistic. Let’s not get let down on that one.”

And he is kind of right. Because it won’t be easy to snatch Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. Because they would want major league-ready talent, and the Yankees’ farm system is not deep enough to make a competitive offer without gutting what little depth they have.

One probable package they could do is send Spencer Jones, Carlos Lagrange, Bryce Cunningham, and Will Warren for just one year of Skubal. But that’s a massive ask. Skubal, in fact, himself poured out the idea of his moving from Detroit. He was shown a Yankees cap by a fan, and he said, “That’s not my hat.”

Meanwhile, the AL East is getting more competitive by the day. The Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox, and the Orioles have all made aggressive moves. The Yankees, as seen, are not doing much and are still preaching patience. But things might change soon. The

Yankees could quietly pounce on a Japanese Ace

So, sure, the New York Yankees have not made any splash, but it doesn’t mean that an interesting move isn’t right in front of them. With the calendar working against Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, the Yankees may be in the perfect spot to strike again.

Imai is one of the top starters who is still available after being posted by the Saitama Seibu Lions. And he has not seen a frenzy of MLB teams around him; in fact, this is something that he has admitted to himself. Speaking on TV Asahi’s “Udo Times,” Imai acknowledged that while teams have shown curiosity, the proposals have been hard to come by.

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And this is where the Yankees come in.

Although the Yankees have been warned about losing out, Imai, Francys Romero, the MLB insider, listed the New York Yankees as a finalist for Imai. And from a baseball standpoint, it makes all sense. Imai is coming off a dominant 2025 season in Japan, and he posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts across 163 2/3 innings.

He’s also a two-time NPB All-Star with a career 3.15 ERA over nearly 1,000 innings, and most think there is more upside left. FanGraphs, in fact, touts him as someone who is poised to make some immediate impact given his mid-90s fastball and durability.

For the Yankees, the rotation is expected to open in 2026 without Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon, so adding a high-upside arm like Imai could be a smart play. If Imai’s market is quiet, then the Yankees can land a prime-age player on a friendly deal.