With Thanksgiving in the rearview and presents waiting to be unwrapped, Juan Soto is sitting atop the Yankees’ wish list.
But the Bombers may not get the player they covet most this holiday season, as the Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox and Blue Jays are also pursuing Soto. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old is looking for a contract that will extend beyond a decade and cost over half-a-billion dollars.
Earlier this week, the Daily News looked at what the rest of the Yankees’ ideal offseason might look like if Soto decides to stay. Here, we’ll look at some big-name free agents and paths the Yankees could turn to if the slugger bolts from the Bronx, which would leave the team with a lot of money to spread around.
INCUMBENT QUESTIONS
Before diving into a list of potential newcomers, the Yankees will have to think about how they want to position two incumbent players: Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Judge just unanimously won the second MVP of his career. While doing so, he became a full-time center fielder to accommodate Soto in right field. While Judge prioritized preserving his body at times after missing two months with a toe injury in 2023, advanced metrics weren’t fond of his defense in center.
If the more defensively challenged Soto returns, Judge will have to remain in center. If not, could No. 99 return to right?
Chisholm, meanwhile, learned to play third base on the fly after being acquired from the Marlins last summer. The Yankees liked his defense there and the metrics were mostly favorable, but he’s also played center and second, another uncertain position for the Yankees.
INFIELDERS
If the Yankees pull Chisholm off the hot corner, Alex Bregman and Willy Adames are two third basemen at the top of the market. Bregman would require the Yankees to get past his involvement with the Astros’ sign-stealing 2017 championship team. Adames, meanwhile, would find himself in a similar position to the one Chisholm was in, as the shortstop has never played third but is reportedly willing to learn.
While neither player is the hitter that Soto is, they’d each bring some firepower to the Yankees’ lineup.
Upgrading at first base should be a priority no matter what Soto does after two injury-riddled, down years from Anthony Rizzo. Longtime Met Pete Alonso is the most recognizable name available at the position, but Christian Walker also has pop and would offer elite defense to a Yankees team that needs to improve on that side of the ball. He’s a better fit and could be affordable even if the Yankees keep Soto.
Carlos Santana is another talented defender at first, and the 38-year-old remained productive at the plate in 2024. He wouldn’t be the worst fallback option if the Yankees can’t land a long-term first baseman. Paul Goldschmidt could be seen in a similar light.
OUTFIELDERS
There aren’t many big-name outfielders beyond Soto on the open market, but alternatives include players the Yankees know well from facing them over the years: Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández.
Both are defensively deficient, but they could replace Soto in right — if Judge stays in center — while accounting for some of his offensive production. Santander, a switch-hitter, had three more homers than Soto’s 41 last season while posting a 129 wRC+ for the Orioles, while Hernández, a Yankees killer throughout his career, crushed 33 dingers while recording a 134 wRC+ for the world champion Dodgers.
To be clear, neither is close to the all-around hitter that Soto is, but the two did combine for 201 RBI.
PITCHERS
The Yankees have six starters at the moment, but trades could change that, and they certainly have room for improvement in their rotation.
If the team doesn’t commit a ton of money to Soto, maybe Corbin Burnes will take a significant chunk of that cash after spending the 2024 season in Baltimore. The former Brewer and Gerrit Cole would give the Yankees two Cy Young winners at the top of their rotation. They would also give the team two aces with track records of durability (outside of Cole’s case of elbow inflammation last spring).
Other talented and intriguing starters on the market include Max Fried, Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea, Nathan Eovaldi, Walker Buehler and Luis Severino. Japanese ace Roki Sasaki will also be posted in the near future, though the Yankees — and just about every other team — should go after the 23-year-old regardless of what Soto does, as he’ll be limited to international signing bonus pool money.
As for the bullpen, the Yankees have a few openings thanks to in-house free agents. They don’t typically spend big on relievers, but they could make an exception this offseason if Soto leaves after their usual bargain bin strategy took months to yield results in 2024.
Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez are among the best free agent relievers, and re-signing Tim Hill is something the Yankees and the lefty have interest in.
