The New York Yankees have made two major additions on the pitching front by signing Max Fried and trading for Devin Williams, and they could be gearing up to add two plus bats through the market as well.
The Yankees are in a prime position to sign Alex Bregman
The Yankees traded away infielder Caleb Durbin in the deal to acquire Williams, which now opens up a home in the infield. Durbin had been considered the “odds-on favorite” to start at second base on Opening Day at the start of the Winter Meetings, but now New York needs to add an infielder.
This opens the door for them to sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. Currently, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the team’s third baseman, but signing Bregman would allow Jazz to move back to his natural position, which is second base.
Bregman will be 31 years old by the start of next season, which could make giving him a lengthy contract slightly less enticing. However, he is still a high-impact player on both sides of the ball and would make the Yankees a significantly deeper team than they were last season.
In 2024, Bregman hit .260 with 26 home runs and posted a 118 wRC+. Defensively, he recorded six outs above average (OAA) at third base last season, which was a career-high for him.
The Yankees are in the mix for Cody Bellinger
Bregman isn’t the only big-name bat the Yankees are in hot pursuit of, as they are still looking to add at both first base and the outfield. Cubs’ OF/1B Cody Bellinger would be a great fit for the Yankees given his versatility on the field as well as the power he possesses from the left side of the plate. Last season with Chicago, Bellinger hit .266 with 18 home runs and boasted a 109 wRC+.
ESPN’s Jesse Rogers thinks that Bellinger is high on the Yankees’ wishlist of players they are looking to bring in this offseason.
“The Yankees are not done by a longshot. I do think [Cody] Bellinger is high on that list… we’ll see if that gets to the finish line,” Rogers said on MLB Network’s MLB Tonight.
Bellinger would provide the Yankees a middle-of-the-order power bat that can be slotted in between Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. He wouldn’t be the perfect replacement for Juan Soto, who signed with the New York Mets in free agency, but he would be a major upgrade in both the infield and the outfield, as they have major needs in both areas.
Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not the Yankees want to meet the Cubs’ asking price. They were unwilling to give up AL Rookie of The Year Luis Gil in a package for Kyle Tucker, who ended up heading to the Cubs in a trade. The price for Bellinger won’t be as steep as Tucker’s, but it will certainly require some key players to be thrown in a potential deal.
Overview
So far, the Yankees have responded nicely to losing Soto, but they have more work to do if they wish to head back to the World Series and remain competitive. Bringing in both Bregman and Bellinger could once again make them the favorite in the AL in 2025.
