The New York Yankees head into the offseason with some important decisions to make, with the first being whether they are going to re-sign Cody Bellinger. He was vital to the team’s success, playing all over the field and ending the year with a better batting average with runners in scoring position than Aaron Judge did.

However, they must figure out what they are going to do with some of their non-tender candidates. They have a few options, including Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins, Ian Hamilton, and Scott Effross.

For a team looking to clear some space to sign other players, the Yankees could turn to moving on from one or two of these arms. None have been incredibly efficient, and Cousins, who underwent Tommy John surgery in June, will likely miss the 2026 season entirely.

Yankees predicted to move on from reliever to save payroll space

Ian Hamilton did not have the season he was hoping for. He did not have the best control of his pitches and ended the season in the minor leagues. According to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner, Hamilton likely will not return in 2026.

“Hamilton was demoted to Triple-A this season after losing his command. It’s likely he won’t return.”

On top of his command issues, Hamilton also saw an issue with his fastball. He was nearly 1.5 mph lower than where he was in 2024. The front office likely will not be confident with him moving forward, and moving on from him would clear up some payroll space, allowing the club to sign someone they are more confident in.