Yankees Offseason Moves: The Yankees run out of money and make an important decision with an eye on the future, After a long saga, Dominican star Juan Soto left the Yankees…See More

December 24, 2024 Sports Gist MLB 0

After a long saga, Dominican star Juan Soto left the New York Yankees to go to the Queens neighbors, the Mets, in a move that may have broken the hearts of many fans.

But Soto’s departure may not be so bad for the Bronx Bombers, as it opened up a significant salary cap gap for the New York team.

The Yankees’ first move was to acquire left-handed pitcher Max Fried from the Atlanta Braves to strengthen their starting rotation, and they subsequently acquired Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger.

Despite these new arrivals, the Yankees will have to keep an eye on the team’s budget, as this prevented them from taking Christian Walker or Pete Alonso as first basemen, following the departure of Anthony Rizzo.

Manager Aaron Boone and the Yankees’ front office then opted to sign former National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt, who agreed to a one-year, $12.5 million contract.

Now they will have to look to second base, as Gleyber Torres is a free agent, and there is strong interest from the Los Angeles Angels, according to the website essentiallysports.com.

Boone mentioned that he is leaning on moving pieces that are already on the team and then looking at anyone in a trade or free agent market.

This would involve moving Jazz Chisholm from third to second base to replace Torres, while Oswaldo Cabrera and DJ LeMahieu would be competing for the third base.

“Basically, what they’re saying is that now they’re out of money,” Heyman told CBS Sports, adding that the decision on Paul Goldschmidt was not improvised.

Hiring Paul Goldschmidt for a year is not just about filling a void, but about keeping options open for a successful deal next offseason.

“They love the fact that he has a one-year contract. Why? Because free agents like Kyle Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are players they will be interested in next offseason,” he explained.

If the New York Yankees had signed 34-year-old Christian Walker, they would have given him a three-year contract as the Houston Astros did.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ‘inches closer’ to the Yankees amidst post-Juan Soto splurge

Are the Yankees prepared to back up the Brinks truck?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 'inches closer' to the Yankees amidst post-Juan Soto splurge

The New York Yankees had a plan in the event that their mega-offer to Juan Soto would be rejected — and as soon as Soto agreed with the New York Mets on a record-smashing 15-year contract, the Bronx Bombers put their “plan B” in motion.

Since Soto joined the Mets on a $765 million contract, the Yankees have arguably been the busiest team in baseball. The reigning American League champions signed pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year contract before swinging a trade for star closer Devin Williams; they then dealt for former MVP Cody Bellinger and acquired another former MVP, Paul Goldschmidt, via free agency. But the Yankees might be saving the biggest bombshell for last: a possible move for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

A trade between division rivals would be hard to envision — but by virtue of his expiring contract, Guerrero could join the Yankees as a free agent in 2025. And so far, Toronto does not seem to be doing enough to entice the 25-year-old to stick around.

Guerrero, a four-time All-Star and the son of Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Vladimir Guerrero Sr., is coming off the third 30-homer season, and he came sixth in the AL MVP voting after hitting a career-best .323 with 103 RBI in 2024. But the Blue Jays‘ continued presence outside of the playoff picture has only increased the noise surrounding Guerrero’s future; Toronto finished last in the AL East in 2024 and last won a postseason game in 2016.

For the Yankees, the chance to pair Guerrero with AL MVP Aaron Judge long-term will go a long way toward easing the pain from Soto’s departure. Acquiring Guerrero to “protect” Judge in the lineup would give the Yankees a formidable duo for the remainder of the 2020s and a fighting chance at a 28th World Series championship amidst the potential for a Los Angeles Dodgers dynasty.

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