Even after having been in the 2024 World Series, the Yankees are entering the offseason with some pretty glaring holes to fill. Not much is expected to happen until star right fielder Juan Soto chooses his next destination–the Pinstripes are going to push to keep him in the Bronx–but whether Soto stays or goes, there is work to be done on the roster.
First base is one area where the Yankees might look to upgrade, especially if Soto departs. Mets star Pete Alonso has been tabbed most consistently as a Yankees target, but there might be better options–especially for a Yankees team that values first-base defense. Alonso is a top-shelf slugger, but he is not Keith Hernandez out there.
There is, however, a slugging first baseman who also happens to be one of the best glove men in the league–three-time Gold Glove winner Christian Walker of Arizona. With Anthony Rizzo now 35 and heading to free agency as the Yankees declined to pick up the full final year of his contract, Walker could be an ideal fit in this lineup.
Yankees ‘Best Option’ Could Be Christian Walker
That’s the thrust from SNY’s Phillip Martinez, who weighed the possibility of signing Walker in an article titled, “Pros and Cons: Should Yankees sign Christian Walker?”
Walker struggled with injuries last season (he missed a month with an oblique injury) but still slugged 26 homers in 130 games, following up on seasons in which he hit 33 and 36 homers. He has won the Gold Glove award three straight years at first base.
Wrote Martinez: “The Yankees often want their first basemen to be good defenders. We saw that with Don Mattingly, Tino Martinez, Mark Teixeira and Rizzo over the last 30 years. And with an infield defense that has question marks at other positions, it may be more imperative that the next Yankees first baseman can bail out Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and whoever is manning second/third base.
“So who can give New York that defense and offensive pop? Walker might be the best option.”
Walker will not come cheap, not given his combination of power and fielding. Spotrac estimates his upcoming contract at three years and $66 million. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel put it in the same neighborhood, at $57 million over three years.
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