Rays' fans smile after Yankees lose out on veteran outfielder

The Yankees have not had the fondest of offseasons as they've been beaten to the punch on multiple free agents including Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette. Despite the signings of Cody Bellinger and former Rays utility man Amed Rosario, this trend is continuing in the form of a veteran outfield presence.

Yankees lose out on veteran outfielder Austin Slater after he signs with the Tigers

Besides the clear starters in Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, the Yankees' outfield is scarce of high-quality depth. Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones, and the primary DH Giancarlo Stanton are the only remaining outfielders on their 40-man roster. Therefore, an acquisition like Austin Slater would've been greatly appreciated for Yankees fans.

Austin Slater appeared in 14 games with the Yankees after the White Sox traded him to New York for RHP Gage Ziehl. The Jacksonville native struggled in his 25 at-bats in pinstripes, finishing with a .120 AVG and only two RBIs. Regardless, the Yankees front office felt that he could be a solid member of the club, likely due to his experience and track record of success.

Despite New York's push to sign the veteran, he chose the Detroit Tigers instead. The outfield picture in Detroit is rather extensive, but there seems to be a path to playing time for the 33-year-old outfielder. He signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring camp, so there's still plenty of work to be done for him to prove his worth with the organization.

On the Rays' end, this deal is worth celebrating as the rival Yankees will have to continue their necessary search for talented back-up outfielders. As it stands, their outfield may be the best in the sport with future Hall of Famer Aaron Judge and two-time All Star Cody Bellinger leading the charge. If one or both of them fall to injury however, then the Yankees would be hard-pressed to find worthy replacements within their organization.

The big, bad Yankees will likely be the club that any of the competitive American League East teams will have to contend with for a division title down the stretch. So, cheers to another failed signing attempt from the Bronx Bombers!