The New York Yankees are navigating this offseason admirably after losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, having already landed Max Fried, Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger to fortify the roster and make another run toward the World Series.
It’s a great recovery, but there is still plenty of work to be done, and one insider recently said the Yankees are still eyeing two other All-Stars.
“The Yankees were interested in [Christian] Walker too but didn’t want to lose a draft pick in compensation. They still are focused on Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote on X.
The Yankees were interested in Walker too but didn’t want to lose a draft pick in compensation. They still are focused on Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 20, 2024
Walker recently came off the market when he agreed to a three-year deal with the Houston Astros, a move that requires draft pick compensation, so the Yankees will now focus on Goldschmidt and Santana to play first base.
Anthony Rizzo’s tenure as the Yankees’ first baseman is likely finished, and either Goldschmidt or Santana would be an affordable, short-term, veteran solution who could add power to the lineup.
Goldschmidt is coming off the worst year of his career and is 37 years old, but he is just two years removed from a .981 OPS season and could benefit from a change of scenery.
Santana will turn 39 early in the 2025 season but posted a solid 2.5 WAR for the Minnesota Twins last season.
Either would be a fine replacement for the Yankees, and perhaps most importantly, each has been a pillar of health throughout their career, which is something Rizzo struggled with over the past few years.
Signing Pete Alonso away from the New York Mets would be a nice revenge move, but the Yankees seem much more focused on a shorter-term deal with a veteran.
NEXT: Juan Soto Calls Out 'Lie' About His Tenure With Yankees
