Kristie Ackert: 3 areas the Yankees still need to address after bringing back Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge was the Yankees’ priority this winter, but he cannot be the Bombers’ only big move. While no one can say that Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner did not invest after giving Judge a $360 million deal that runs nine years on Wednesday, it’s still not going to be enough to get the Bombers back to where they want to be.

By re-signing the 30-year-old slugger, the Yankees are essentially back where they left off in the early hours of Oct. 25. That cold night in the Bronx, Judge and the Yankees stood in their dugout watching as the Astros celebrated on the field in Yankee Stadium. For the third time in six years, Houston had stopped the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. This time, they had embarrassingly swept them.

So now more than ever, after taking on their third $300-plus million contract with Judge’s deal to go along with Giancarlo Stanton’s and Gerrit Cole’s, the Yankees have to go all in. Judge is 30, Cole is 32 and Stanton is 33. The window for these investments is open now for a few more years, the Yankees need to get past the Astros and make these investments pay off now by spending further this winter.

Here’s where they need to make moves:

FIND A LEFT FIELDER

The Yankees have Aaron Hicks coming back for the fifth year of his seven-year, $70 million deal, but it’s become obvious the oft-injured outfielder has played his way out of favor in the Bronx. He has been replaced as the everyday starting center fielder by Harrison Bader and seems like a fourth outfielder at best right now.

The Yankees had a good fit in Andrew Benintendi, a high-contact lefty bat, before he got hurt last season. Benintendi, who they acquired in a trade with the Royals, would be a good free-agent signing. The Yankees had interest in Pirates’ All-Star Bryan Reynolds long before he publicly requested a trade this week.  A quality switch-hitter with 27 homers last season and a strong defender with three years of control will cost a lot, but it would allow the Yankees to manage their payroll. A Michael Brantley would be another possibility or maybe a dark horse in a lefty-power hitting Michael Conforto.

MORE PITCHING

The Yankees have their ace in Cole and All-Star lefty Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas slotted behind him heading into 2023. Jameson Taillon will be a big loss and instead of trying to get by with Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt, the Bombers need another proven starter. They have been pursuing Carlos Rodon, a 29-year-old lefty who had pitched to a 2.88 ERA last season.

Former Mets Chris Bassitt and Nathan Eovaldi are other options available on the free-agent market. The Yankees had shown interest in Marlins righty Pablo López in the past and Miami has made it clear they are open to trading anyone except National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara.

FIGURE OUT THE LEFT SIDE

The Yankees have navigated the last few offseasons with their future left-side of the infield on their mind. Anthony Volpe should make his big league debut at shortstop in 2023 and the Yankees need to figure out where Oswald Peraza, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson and Oswaldo Cabrera fit. Donaldson aged quickly last season and Kiner-Falefa proved he wasn’t a fit at shortstop, but the Bombers have both back next season.

It’s time for them to commit to the younger players or use them to solidify the rotation, get a left fielder or bolster the bullpen.

The Yankees invested in their future with Judge, whose $360 million contract is the largest free agent contract in history, and Judge joins Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander (both $43.3 million per year) as the only players in the sport with a $40 million average annual salary. Across town, Mets’ billionaire owner Steve Cohen has gone all-in on the future in Queens and it will be interesting to see if the Yankees are as invested in 2023.

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On a personal note, 2023 will be a year of change. This is my last column for the Daily News. After 25 years, working my way up from covering high school sports to the last four years on the Yankees’ beat, I am leaving The News and New York City. It’s always been interesting and I am so grateful for those who gave me a chance to witness so much history and for those of you who read my takes on it.

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