With Thanksgiving within the rearview and presents ready to be unwrapped, Juan Soto is sitting atop the Yankees’ want checklist.
However the Bombers might not get the participant they covet most this vacation season, because the Mets, Dodgers, Purple Sox and Blue Jays are additionally pursuing Soto. In the meantime, the 26-year-old is searching for a contract that may lengthen past a decade and price over half-a-billion {dollars}.
Earlier this week, the Each day Information checked out what the remainder of the Yankees’ very best offseason would possibly appear like if Soto decides to remain. Right here, we’ll have a look at some big-name free brokers and paths the Yankees might flip to if the slugger bolts from the Bronx, which would depart the workforce with some huge cash to unfold round.
INCUMBENT QUESTIONS
Earlier than diving into a listing of potential newcomers, the Yankees must take into consideration how they need to place two incumbent gamers: Aaron Decide and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Decide simply unanimously received the second MVP of his profession. Whereas doing so, he turned a full-time heart fielder to accommodate Soto in proper area. Whereas Decide prioritized preserving his physique at instances after lacking two months with a toe harm in 2023, superior metrics weren’t keen on his protection in heart.
If the extra defensively challenged Soto returns, Decide must stay in heart. If not, might No. 99 return to proper?
Chisholm, in the meantime, realized to play third base on the fly after being acquired from the Marlins final summer season. The Yankees favored his protection there and the metrics have been largely favorable, however he’s additionally performed heart and second, one other unsure place for the Yankees.
INFIELDERS
If the Yankees pull Chisholm off the recent nook, Alex Bregman and Willy Adames are two third basemen on the high of the market. Bregman would require the Yankees to get previous his involvement with the Astros’ sign-stealing 2017 championship workforce. Adames, in the meantime, would discover himself in the same place to the one Chisholm was in, because the shortstop has by no means performed third however is reportedly keen to study.
Whereas neither participant is the hitter that Soto is, they’d every deliver some firepower to the Yankees’ lineup.
Upgrading at first base needs to be a precedence it doesn’t matter what Soto does after two injury-riddled, down years from Anthony Rizzo. Longtime Met Pete Alonso is essentially the most recognizable title accessible on the place, however Christian Walker additionally has pop and would supply elite protection to a Yankees workforce that should enhance on that aspect of the ball. He’s a greater match and could possibly be inexpensive even when the Yankees maintain Soto.
Carlos Santana is one other gifted defender at first, and the 38-year-old remained productive on the plate in 2024. He wouldn’t be the worst fallback possibility if the Yankees can’t land a long-term first baseman. Paul Goldschmidt could possibly be seen in the same mild.
OUTFIELDERS
There aren’t many big-name outfielders past Soto on the open market, however options embody gamers the Yankees know effectively from dealing with them over time: Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández.
Each are defensively poor, however they may change Soto in proper — if Decide stays in heart — whereas accounting for a few of his offensive manufacturing. Santander, a switch-hitter, had three extra homers than Soto’s 41 final season whereas posting a 129 wRC+ for the Orioles, whereas Hernández, a Yankees killer all through his profession, crushed 33 dingers whereas recording a 134 wRC+ for the world champion Dodgers.
To be clear, neither is near the all-around hitter that Soto is, however the two did mix for 201 RBI.
PITCHERS
The Yankees have six starters in the meanwhile, however trades might change that, and so they actually have room for enchancment of their rotation.
If the workforce doesn’t commit a ton of cash to Soto, possibly Corbin Burnes will take a big chunk of that money after spending the 2024 season in Baltimore. The previous Brewer and Gerrit Cole would give the Yankees two Cy Younger winners on the high of their rotation. They’d additionally give the workforce two aces with monitor data of sturdiness (outdoors of Cole’s case of elbow irritation final spring).
Different gifted and intriguing starters available on the market embody Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea, Nathan Eovaldi, Walker Buehler and Luis Severino. Japanese ace Roki Sasaki may even be posted within the close to future, although the Yankees — and nearly each different workforce — ought to go after the 23-year-old no matter what Soto does, as he’ll be restricted to worldwide signing bonus pool cash.
As for the bullpen, the Yankees have a couple of openings due to in-house free brokers. They don’t sometimes spend large on relievers, however they may make an exception this offseason if Soto leaves after their typical cut price bin technique took months to yield leads to 2024.
Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez are among the many finest free agent relievers, and re-signing Tim Hill is one thing the Yankees and the lefty have curiosity in.
