Report: Yankees Show Interest in Free Agent Freddie Freeman
It might be unlikely, but Freddie Freeman's name belongs in the list of first baseman that the Yankees are targeting this offseason.
New York has reportedly met with Freeman's reps as free agency gets underway, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Heyman adds that the Yankees are inquiring with all top left-handed hitting first basemen. That includes free agent Anthony Rizzo and Oakland's slugger Matt Olson, a rising star that New York has had their eye on in trade talks already this winter.
Freeman has been a member of the Braves organization since he was selected in the second round of the 2007 MLB draft. Making his big-league debut three years later, Freeman has spent the last 12 seasons in a Braves uniform, winning a World Series with Atlanta this year.
The first baseman was the National League Most Valuable Player in 2020, he's a five-time All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner. In 2021, the 32-year-old slashed .300/.393/.503 with 31 home runs, 120 runs scored and 83 RBI.
In other words, he's one of the best in the game at his position and the type of bat that can take this Yankees lineup to the next level.
Even if the expectation around the league is that Freeman will return to the Braves this offseason, there are no guarantees. Especially in free agency when money is a factor. As Heyman put it, it's "worth investigating" a possible deal with a player as great as Freddie Freeman.
Considering New York's payroll is going to increase in 2022, the Yankees could put together a lucrative contract for Freeman that would be hard to refuse.
With several top-tier options available in free agency, however, perhaps investing the majority of the offseason budget in one asset isn't the smartest tactic. New York can use their funds to add a superstar shortstop, address the starting rotation and more. When a cheaper alternative like Rizzo exists—and a player like Olson is available as well—it's worth considering all alternatives.
If you're the Yankees and Freeman is even slightly interested in donning pinstripes, however, those negotiations become a priority. New York hasn't had a first baseman of Freeman's caliber in the Bronx in many years.
Just imagine the numbers he would produce in a full season at Yankee Stadium, hitting between the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the heart of the Yankees' star-studded lineup.
MORE:
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- Yankees Aren't Only Team Interested in Signing Free Agent Starling Marte
- Report: Yankees Showing Interest in Trading For Pirates' Bryan Reynolds
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