Welcome to 2019. The present day Yankees are looking for bullpen help and a middle infielder to replace the injured Didi Gregorius. The 2013 going on 2014 Yankees were looking for rotation help and a Robinson Cano replacement at this moment five years ago. They went 85-77 the previous year and missed the postseason for the first time since 2008, and it was clear they needed more help to return to October in 2014.
At this point of the 2013-14 offseason the Yankees had already made most of their major moves. Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carlos Beltran had all been signed and both Derek Jeter and Hiroki Kuroda were re-signed.