The New York Yankees were among baseball’s top teams this regular season, finishing with a 93-68 record.
Yet, they once again fell apart in the playoffs. This is because they were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.
Now, with the offseason getting started, a former New York Yankees outfielder has already hit the free agent market.
Former New York Yankees Outfielder Becomes Free Agent
According to MLB.com’s transaction tracker, former Yankees outfielder Austin Slater has become a free agent.
“RF Austin Slater elected free agency,” MLB.com wrote.
Slater becoming a free agent comes after he spent most of this season with Triple-A Durham. In 45 games this season with the Triple-A club, he recorded three home runs, 15 RBI, and a .283 batting average.
Slater also had zero home runs, two RBI, and a .209 batting average in 21 MLB games split between the Miami Marlins, New York Mets, and Tampa Bay Rays this season.
Looking Back at Slater’s Rough Yankees Tenure
In July of the 2025 season, the Yankees acquired Slater from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitcher Gage Ziehl.
The expectation was that Slater would work well as a bench player for New York. However, he struggled mightily during his short tenure with the Yankees.
In 14 games with the Yankees following the trade, Slater went 3-for-25 at the plate. With this, he had a .120 batting average while with New York. This was after he was solid for the White Sox in 2025, posting five home runs, 11 RBI, and a .236 batting average in 51 games.
The Yankees ended up not re-signing Slater following the 2025 season, officially ending his time with the team.
Former New York Yankees Trade Bust Immediately Becomes Free Agent