While analyst Jim Bowden doesn’t see the New York Yankees as the front runner for superstar free agent Juan Soto, he does see them as a favorite for one of the top 10 available free agents.
The former MLB general manager and current analyst with The Athletic and MLB Network Radio see the Yankees landing a Gold Glove first baseman to replace Anthony Rizzo this winter.
Bowden wrote that he feels the Yankees are a perfect match to land Christian Walker, who ranked as Bowden's 10th-best available free agent.
“Several teams need a first baseman, including the Mariners, Diamondbacks and even the Mets if they don’t bring back Alonso. However, I think the Yankees are the ideal fit for Walker. He’s a Gold Glove first baseman who would extend their lineup with his power. (He has averaged more than 30 homers per season over the past three years.) He would be a huge upgrade over Anthony Rizzo, who is not expected back with the Yankees in 2025,” Bowden wrote.
The 33-year old Walker is coming off a 26-home run, 84-RBI season with the Diamondbacks. He played in just 130 games this season, missing most of August with a strained left oblique muscle.
The Yankees need some power at first base to replace the often-injured Rizzo. They declined his option for the 2025 season after having to use four different players at first in 2024. Rizzo played 91 games at first, Ben Rice played 46, DJ LeMahieu played 29 and Oswaldo Cabrera played eight.
None of them were all that productive and the Yankees desperately need an upgrade at first.
Last season, they had the lowest .OPS (.619) at first base in all of baseball. They were 25th in the league in home runs from first with just 16. According to FanGraphs, the Yankees were a collective -1.1 WAR at first, the fourth worst in baseball.
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