Three moves the Yankees should make after losing Juan Soto

DALLAS – For the New York Yankees, there is no relief in discovering that their brand – the rich history and weight of pinstripes – mattered little to Juan Soto. Monument Park was shouting the slugger’s name all year while he and Aaron Judge combined to post arguably the best offensive season in MLB history by teammates not named Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. A century later, Soto had the opportunity to build a Yankees legacy if he had decided to spend the rest of his career on 161st Street.

But make no mistake, this wasn’t about loyalty. Judge’s decision to accept a lower contract offer from the Yankees in his 2022 free agency was tied to his draft and his local odyssey through their system. Soto owed no such loyalty to the franchise and was free to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Yankees organization with an open mind during his 2024 season in the Bronx. No matter how the Yankees look at it, Soto looking past his 44 Hall of Fame players, 27 championships and 59 playoff appearances is a gut punch.

That context is important as the team navigates where to go from here. If there is a world where losing Soto to the hometown Mets can be a positive for the Yankees, then Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman must find a way to migrate there. As Steinbrenner said at last month’s owners’ meetings in Manhattan: “I know what’s expected of me.” After Soto’s fallout, he’s still expected to adopt a solid Plan B and make the most of the offseason by spreading the finances he reportedly offered to the best free agent on the market ($760 million over 16 years) across a few different impacts. players who could fill their obvious holes in the squad.

Let’s examine three areas the Yankees must address to revive their offseason with the ultimate goal of winning their first championship since 2009.

1. Gardens

Who will be in right field for the Yankees on opening day? The club could handle its Soto-sized hole in two different ways. Judge can return to right, where he has played the most games in his major league career. Jasson Dominguez, the organization’s No. 1 prospect, could take over in center field, where he has played 239 minor league games versus 58 games in left field and one in right field.

Such a defensive formation would free up space for the Yankees to acquire free agent left fielder Teoscar Hernández, who would be a great fit in the Bronx after his strong season with the champion Dodgers. Hernandez set career highs in home runs (33) and walks (53), all while playing in 154 games (second most for the Dodgers behind Shohei Ohtani), earning the third Silver Slugger of his career. The Yankees saw firsthand how impactful Hernandez can be last season, first in June when he smashed an eighth-inning grand slam to propel the Dodgers to a series victory, and then again in the World Series when he recorded an OPS .931 during the Los Angeles season. triumph.

Beyond Hernandez, the Yankees could also opt for free agent right fielder Anthony Santander and keep Judge in center while moving Dominguez to left. Santander, like Hernández, is another powerful corner outfielder who set career highs in home runs (44), runs batted in (102), walks (58) and OPS (.814) in a full season. The Yankees have watched Santander sweep the Orioles in the AL East for the past eight years, and it would be ideal for them to flip the script there. But his commitment would probably have to be greater and longer in a deal for Santander, who is only 29, than for Hernández, who hopes to get a shorter contract since he is 31 years old.

Either way, the Yankees need to get one of those two corner outfielders to replace Soto, because there is a huge drop in talent after them.

[RELATED: How the Mets plucked Juan Soto from the Yankees | Ten biggest contracts in MLB history: Juan Soto’s $765 million with Mets tops list]

2. First base

Replacing Anthony Rizzo with someone internal, like Ben Rice, would have been a fair path if the Yankees had managed to sign Soto. But since they didn’t, Cashman & Co. should go with one of the two best first basemen on the market. Pete Alonso or Christian Walker could help offset Soto’s production in the lineup, but neither will come cheap. That shouldn’t be a problem though. As noted, the Yankees should look for players at the higher end of the market with the money Soto was originally offered. So which direction makes the most sense for the Yankees now?

Let us first address Alonso’s argument. The Yankees could respond to Soto fleeing to the Mets by stealing the Polar Bear from Queens. It would definitely hurt the Mets, as Alonso is a homegrown slugger, half of the jerseys fans wear at Citi Field are his No. 20, and president of baseball operations David Stearns has said several times during this offseason they “would love to bring Pete back.” Beyond the rivalry with New York, Alonso is an obvious rival for the Yankees with their hole at first base and their need for power. The 30-year-old is said to be seeking a long-term deal in the five-year range, and the Yankees could have some concerns about Alonso’s defensive value toward the end of that deal as his eventual role will be designated. batter.

Then there’s Walker, who is four years older than Alonso, but has been noticeably better and more consistent on defense throughout his career. Since 2019, Walker leads all first basemen in putouts above average (58), and no one is even close to sniffing out that kind of defensive value. At the plate, Walker doesn’t have Alonso’s power numbers, but his 95 home runs over the last three seasons would represent a notable improvement on what they’ve been getting. (The last first baseman to hit a home run for the Yankees was backup DJ LeMahieu. in july). Walker’s age could be a warning sign for upcoming relegation, while Alonso prioritizes staying on the field. Only Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson have played more games at first base than Alonso since his debut in 2019.

These are the types of discussions Yankees brass are having at this week’s winter meetings as they determine which direction to take. It’s also clear that the club can’t wait too long to make a decision given how weak the first base market is beyond Alonso and Walker.

3. Initial release

Let’s give the Yankees credit for making sure Gerrit Cole stayed in pinstripes after he exercised his opt-out earlier this offseason. The focus has now shifted to the rest of the rotation, particularly whether the supporting cast is solid enough to be a dominant force in the playoffs. The emergence of Luis Gil was a huge boon to the staff, and it will be interesting to see how he builds on that success in his second season after winning Rookie of the Year. Even with Gil’s help, the Yankees should continue to look at the top of the market in both free agency and trades.

Starting with the latter, White Sox ace Garrett Crochet would be a perfect fit in the Bronx given his age (25) and track record. As evidenced by reliever-turned-starter Clarke Schmidt, the Yankees are big fans of converted starters, and Crochet immediately found success in 2024 in his first full season in a rotation. The left-hander struck out 209 batters in 32 starts, posting a 3.38 ERA in 146 innings. Saddling him with Cole and Carlos Rodón would give the Yankees one of the best pitching trios in baseball.

As far as free agent starters go, Corbin Burnes is widely viewed as the best option available. He will certainly be the most expensive, but that shouldn’t be a problem with Soto leaving. The 29-year-old ace is coming off his fourth consecutive All-Star season, this time with the Orioles, posting a 2.92 ERA and 1.096 WHIP in 32 starts and 194.1 innings. Beyond the obvious advantage of adding a star like Burnes to complement the in-house ace in Cole, his immediate and fluid success with Baltimore after being traded proves he can excel in a new environment (and league). That’s important for the Yankees as they look for players who have the solid demeanor to handle New York.

Deesha Thosar He is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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