Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Considered No. 1 Landing Spot For Top Free Agent Infielder

The New York Yankees have been deemed the top free agency destination for one of baseball's premier offensive first basemen.

Grant Young

Sep 7, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (53) hits an RBI infield single against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (53) hits an RBI infield single against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New York Yankees did not receive much offensive production from the first base position during the 2024 regular season. In fact, the .619 OPS that the Yankees' first basemen produced this regular season was the worst in all MLB.

This is why it would make sense for New York to upgrade the position by free agency or trade this offseason. And in a November 30 article, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller listed the Yankees as the No. 1 potential landing spot for former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker.

"The catalyst for doing Walker's landing spots now was Bob Nightengale's rumor mill article for USA Today from earlier this week, in which he wrote: 'If the New York Yankees don't re-sign Juan Soto, one back-up plan floating around is signing free-agent first baseman Christian Walker, sign either Willy Adames or Alex Bregman to play third, shift Jazz Chisholm to second base, trade for Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger, and then use the extra money to sign Burnes, Fried or Snell,'" Miller wrote.

"Long before the Yankees officially declined Anthony Rizzo's $17 million club option for 2025, the entire world expected them to be in on Walker, as first base was a disaster area for the AL champs in 2024. Nightengale even had them listed first among teams likely to "aggressively pursue" Walker in his GM meetings wrap-up article in early November," he continued.

Miller concluded the article by writing, "Aside from hanging on to Soto, upgrading at first base is, arguably, the top priority on New York's offseason agenda. And there's a small sample size suggesting Yankee Stadium could be a fantastic home over the next three years for Walker, who has a career 1.127 OPS in six games played there."

The Yankees could certainly do worse than bringing Walker to the Bronx this offseason.

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

Home/News