The Yankees are reportedly in the market for a right-handed hitting corner outfielder, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. This need becomes more apparent 24 hours later after Cody Bellinger landed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain, per a team announcement this afternoon. Heyman lists several names the Yankees could go after if such players are made available by their respective teams, as stated in a tweet.
The following players Heyman lists are the following: “Lane Thomas, Spencer Steer, Jo Adell, Jorge Soler, George Springer as possibilities (if available)”, stated Heyman. In the interim, the Yankees have called up left-handed hitting outfielder Spencer Jones from Triple-A as the corresponding move in response to Bellinger landing on the injured list, per a team announcement. It’s no secret the Yankees need hitting at this year’s MLB trade deadline.
Yankees In The Market For Right Handed Hitting OF
With Aaron Judge still out and a return timeline for 2026 still rather uncertain, losing Bellinger now for the next ten days at minimum makes the Yankees’ offensive woes grow even larger. Some of the players listed by Heyman are interesting to look into, to say the least. For starters, Lane Thomas, the Royals center fielder who signed a one-year deal with them this past offseason. The 30-year-old Thomas, some Yankee fans might remember from the 2024 ALCS, when he was with the Guardians, in which he made the final out that sent the Yankees to the World Series.
GettyKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JULY 18: Lane Thomas #15 of the Kansas City Royals hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on July 18, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Thomas has a strong arm and runs well; he’s posted a .732 OPS with ten home runs in 319 plate appearances this season for Kansas City. He’s not a significant upgrade by any means; neither are any of these names, but he’s a depth piece on a team that needs more hitters right now due to using a lot of their depth: another name, Spencer Steer of the Cincinnati Reds.
Steer is probably the best name on this list, primarily because he has 16 home runs, a .743 OPS, and a .320 on-base percentage through the first half. Steer is more of a utility guy; he’s played outfield, along with first and third base. The Reds are six games back of a wild card spot and likely will be sellers at the deadline, and Steer is a name the Yankees could target as hitting depth. There are then outfielders Jo Adell and Jorge Soler from the Los Angeles Angels. These are two well-known power-hitting bats potentially on the market, but they have significant swing-and-miss concerns between the two of them.
Angels Have Two Right Handed Power Hitters
Angels 27-year-old right fielder Jo Adell has 15 home runs already on the season and has one of the quickest bat speeds in the majors at 77.3 mph, which ranks in the 97th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. However, he has a 37 percent chase percentage and 26.5 percent whiff rate, which rank in the 14th and 39th percentiles, according to Baseball Savant. Soler is a very similar profile to Adell. He’s primarily a DH but has very quick bat speed at 75 mph, ranking in the 84th percentile per Baseball Savant, but despite having 11 home runs, his K rate is in the bottom two percentiles at 32.9 percent, according to Baseball Savant.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 16: Jo Adell #7 of the Los Angeles Angels rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2026 in The Bronx borough of New York City. The Los Angeles Angels defeated the New York Yankees 11-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Another interesting name listed is George Springer, and it’s interesting for several reasons. There’s history between Springer and the Yankees as it relates to the postseason, both as a former member of the Houston Astros and current player on the Toronto Blue Jays. Springer is having a rather disappointing season, posting a 0.2 WAR with just a .716 OPS this season. But despite the lows with him during the 2026 regular season, it can’t be denied that Springer has largely been very good in the postseason. He has a career .271 batting average with 23 home runs and 48 RBI’s in 83 career playoff games, per StatMuse.
Most recently in the 2025 postseason, where the Blue Jays knocked out the Yankees in the ALDS, Springer hit .284 in October with 19 hits, four home runs, and ten RBI’s, per StatMuse. The Yankees could certainly use a player at the deadline with some October pedigree. Springer has also been swinging the bat better of late. In his last 15 games he’s hit for a .310 batting average with three home runs, nine RBI’s, and a .534 slugging percentage.
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