Post the signing of Paul Goldschmidt for a one-year contract, the New York Yankees are on the lookout for free agents in the next offseason. Paul’s aging decline is obvious, putting a large question market for them in the upcoming times. Based on reports, the Yankees are interested in Kyle Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They will be available as free agents for the next offseason, raising speculations about the Yankees’ interest in them.
As the New York Yankees look to strengthen the balance in the team, had they brought Christian Walker in, the team would have given him an entire three-year contract. The Houston team, though, made that mistake, considering that he is already 34 years of age. The Yankees made a good move by signing Paul for a year, keeping doors open for the next free-agent market. MLB insider Jim Bowden publicly claimed on December 21 that the Yankees want to have enough flexibility to get new players on board. This raises speculations about the team signing Tucker and Vladimir in the next offseason.
Bowden, on CBS Sports, said “Free agents like Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are two players they’re going to have interest in next offseason. So they wanted to keep flexibility. Had they signed for example, Christian Walker at 34 years old, they would have to give him the three year deal that Houston did”. He made a clear indication of the players to be a part of the free agency market next offseason. Jim believed that they had been close this past season with the new signing. Now, things would be easier for them to keep an eye on the talents and make notable additions to win the championship.
Tucker could improve the base running and defense for the Yankees, while Vlad could be considered the first baseman option too. However, with Paul’s signing, speculations are high about signing Nolan Arenado as well. Paul and Arenado enjoy a close bond as they played for the same team for a long time, so, Goldschmidt’s addition to the team should have a strong influence on Nolan, pushing him to wave off the no-trade clause.
Thus, the options are plenty for the Yankees to make the right moves in terms of the selection of players for the next offseason. However, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking not to let go of their first baseman.
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Toronto Blue Jays are keen to include Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Blue Jays are already in talks with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for a long-term extension of his contract. This makes him buy out of the entire final year of the free agency and arbitration. The team is looking for a reset as their player, club president, and general manager are in the final years of their contract. Complementing this is their poor performance, finishing last in the AL East. So, signing Guerrero Jr. for an extension would help maintain the credibility of the franchise. Kyle Tucker was another choice much better than him; however, he has already been traded to the Chicago Cubs.
There were previous disputes associated with his contract, which he expects not to be repeated. Other than this, the Jays might still have to pay a premium amount—maybe more than half of Juan Soto’s contract—to keep him on their team. On the other hand, Tucker would also be available for free agency at the end of this season, which raises the chances for the Yankees to wait until the next free agency and make the right additions to the team. The Yankees look to go with some inexpensive options other than Christian Walker and Alonso at first base.
The team can also look at free-agent alternatives like Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell, or others like the Cleveland Guardians’ Josh Naylor or Yandy Diaz from the Tampa Bay Rays. They could be signed at a much lower salary, considering the limited budget the team has. Max Fried’s signing came at an additional cost, which leaves a major concern for the Yankees; however, looking at their current lineup, the team is definitely stronger than many others in this competition.
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