The Yankees Will Likely Add a High-Priced Player; Should It Be Alex Bregman?
The New York Yankees have started their Juan Soto pivot plan by fortifying their pitching staff. Now, attention turns to the offense, and Brian Cashman must answer many questions.
The first move for the Yankees was signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, the largest in history for a left-handed pitcher. Then, they traded Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers for Devin Williams, one of the top closers in baseball.
There has been a clear emphasis on run prevention since Soto decided to sign with the New York Mets, and it would not be a surprise to see the Yankees add quality defenders to augment that strength as well.
In all likelihood, the 2025 Yankees will have a better pitching staff and defensive alignment than their 2024 counterparts.
At least, that is what seems like the plan.
Barring some lower-end bullpen transactions and possibly offloading Marcus Stroman’s $18.5 million salary, the Yankees’ pitching staff is essentially set. The attention turns to the lineup, and Cashman likely needs to find an outfielder and at least one infielder, if not two, after trading Durbin, the projected starting second baseman, to the Brewers.
With the Yankees’ projected 2025 payroll currently at $245 million, according to FanGraphs, they have about $56 million left to spend before going over the top luxury tax threshold at $301 million. With that room, Cashman and the Yankees likely can add another significant contract, and three names currently stick out and would fit the roster. Two of them are free-agent infielders who would fit the Yankees’ roster.
Alex Bregman is one, and Christian Walker is the other. The third name is Cody Bellinger, who was linked to the Yankees in a potential trade.
The hurdle between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs is said to be money, as Bellinger is currently scheduled to count for $26.6 million against the luxury tax payroll, according to Spotrac. The Cubs would like to get off of the full contract, while the Yankees would like Chicago to retain some of the money. Only time will tell if the two sides can come to a deal.
Bregman is projected to get a seven-year, $182 million deal by MLB Trade Rumors, while Walker is projected to get a three-year, $60 million deal. Bregman’s projection seems accurate, though he is likely seeking at least $200 million, while Walker seems likely to get more than MLB Trade Rumors’ projection.
Signing either Bregman or Walker would cost the Yankees draft compensation as well, as they both turned down qualifying offers from their previous teams. The Yankees are getting draft compensation from losing Soto, but they already lost some by signing Fried. Cashman will undoubtedly look to make trades to avoid giving up further draft picks, but it is not guaranteed that he will find one.
When looking at Bregman, Walker, and Bellinger, each of the three is likely to cost about the same amount in 2025 when looking at average annual value.
For a win-now team like the Yankees that has an aging core that contains players like Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Rodon, and now Max Fried, it is likely worth paying up for at least one of these players.
PHOTO: Thomas Shea/Imagn Images
The bottom line is that Bregman is firmly the best of the three. He has had three straight seasons of 4 or more WAR, according to FanGraphs, and is projected to reach that mark again. Bellinger has just one season of more than 4 WAR since 2020, and Walker has never reached that mark.
Bregman does not come without his warts regarding his age and decline in on-base percentage in 2024, and he could be hurt by Yankee Stadium’s ballpark dimensions as a right-handed power hitter. However, he is still projected to be a very strong offensive player in 2024, and his defensive abilities would help the team greatly. He brings Gold Glove-caliber defense at third base and would allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to slide to second base, where he has more experience.
The Yankees would have three plus defenders at second base, third base, and shortstop, with Anthony Volpe at shortstop between Bregman and Chisholm.
Walker brings power as a right-handed bat along with Gold Glove defense at first base as well, but he is 34 years old compared to Bregman, who will be 31 and bring more value overall. Bellinger brings value from a versatility standpoint, as he could play left field, center field, and first base. However, he is not as strong of an offensive player as Bregman or Walker, and his Statcast metrics provide skepticism regarding his offensive performance moving forward.
The Yankees would have to commit to a longer contract for Bregman, but he is easily the best player remaining on the market for a team looking to win it all with an aging core.
If the Yankees spend about $25 million on one of these three players, Bregman is the best bet for 2025.
The arguments for Walker or Bellinger revolve around keeping money off the books for the long term.
If the Yankees plan on making a run at someone like Kyle Tucker or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a year from now, that argument has credence.
If that is not the case, Cashman and the front office should heavily consider adding Bregman.
PHOTO: Thomas Shea/Imagn Images
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