The New York Yankees made significant moves to bolster their roster on Saturday, continuing their offseason overhaul. After losing Juan Soto in free agency, the Yankees secured ace Max Fried and executed blockbuster trades for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams. They also reached a deal with free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, signing him to a reported one-year, $12.5 million contract. This decision followed the Yankees’ longtime target, Christian Walker, signing with the Houston Astros. General manager Brian Cashman opted for a more cost-effective solution at first base, passing on higher-priced options like Pete Alonso.
By keeping first base affordable, the Yankees have flexibility to address third base—a critical area of need. The top target? Astros veteran Alex Bregman. While the Astros were initially seen as favorites to retain Bregman, their signing of Walker likely takes them out of the running. This development positions the Yankees as frontrunners for the star third baseman.
Adding Bregman would address the Yankees’ roster gap in a significant way. He would take over at third base, allowing Jazz Chisholm Jr. to move to his natural position at second base. This upgrade would also replace Gleyber Torres, who struggled during his tenure in New York.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post projects Bregman to command a $170 million contract, a figure well within the Yankees’ budget after the Goldschmidt signing. With Houston seemingly out of the picture, New York now appears to be the leading contender for Bregman’s services.
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