The New York Yankees have made an admirable pivot away from one superstar slugger and could now be in a strong position to land a new one soon.
After outfielder Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets this winter, the Yankees quickly pivoted to bring in the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Max Fried and Devin Williams, executing a holistic roster makeover in hopes of returning to the World Series in 2025.
And now that their division rival Toronto Blue Jays have failed to lock superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. into a long-term extension, the Yankees have emerged as a favorite to sign him next winter, according to Major League Baseball insider Jon Heyman.
“(Very) early favorites to land Vlad Jr. this winter: 1. Red Sox 2. Mets (assuming Pete opts out) 3. Yankees,” Heyman projected.
In fact, the Yankees might have had hopes of enticing Guerrero even as they pivoted away from Soto this winter. Without a historic contract for Soto on the books, the Yankees pursued several veterans who are playing on relatively short-term deals instead.
Goldschmidt, their first base solution, is playing on a one-year, $12.5 million deal. When that contract expires at the end of this season, the Yankees will have a major hole at first base, which could set things up for a blockbuster deal with Guerrero.
In six big-league seasons with the Blue Jays, Guerrero has earned four All-Star bids, two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove Award, making the majority of his starts at first base with a few at third. He’s projected to earn a 12-year, $427 million deal in free agency, per Spotrac, and the Yankees might see him as the perfect running mate for Aaron Judge as much of its roster ages.
Of course, as Heyman noted, the Yankees will face some stiff competition in the bidding for Guerrero. But if they do compete with the likes of the Red Sox and Mets to become the highest bidder, perhaps they are eager to put the Soto saga behind them and reestablish the franchise as the primary landing spot for baseball’s brightest stars.
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