Around the Empire: Yankees news - 12/18/22

Sports Illustrated | Max Goodman: The Yankees are bumping right up against the “Steve Cohen” luxury tax threshold of $293 million after signing Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Rizzo, and Tommy Kahnle this winter. If they want to continue adding players without breaching the threshold — or at the very least give themselves some breathing room below it — they will need to shed some money and Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks are the two most frequently mentioned candidates. However, in the least surprising news of the winter, the Bombers have been unable to find takers for either players — understandable given how far each player has regressed and how much money each is owed.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: The Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees rolled out the three highest payrolls last season and figure to do so for the foreseeable future. However, every team needs cheap and controllable youngsters to fill in the gaps if not graduate into impact players. To this end, Sherman feels that the Yankees would be best served playing their three best prospects — Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera — as much as possible, floating Gleyber Torres and Isiah Kiner-Falefa as potential candidates to be shipped out to facilitate this handing of the torch to the rising generation.

NJ Advance Media | Brendan Kuty: The Yankees will likely start either Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Oswald Peraza at shortstop on Opening Day, and speaking with YES Network during the MLB Winter Meetings, Yankees Vice President of Player Development Kevin Reese showered praise on their prospect infielder. Reese lauded his ability to “do a little bit of everything” — he may not have any one standout tool but everything he’s asked to do he does well.

MLB.com | David Adler: The Yankees recently held their 13th annual Winter Wonderland event and Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a special appearance. The event took place in the Yankee Stadium Great Hall along the first-base line and included plenty of Christmas-themed activities and decorations. Boone helped kids pick out their presents, praising how the event is “one of those great things about the season that you’re able to be a part of and spread a little bit of joy.”