ESPN: Just before the market crashed, the Yankees made a significant free agency signing.
The New York Yankees had a first base need going into the summer. Before Christian Walker joined with the Houston Astros, they attempted to sign him, but the agreement fell through. Even though they traded for Cody Bellinger, they still prioritize first base since they want to use him in the outfield.
Paul Goldschmidt was signed by the Yankees prior to the release of the top options.
They chose Paul Goldschmidt, a less expensive veteran who signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with New York and might prove to be a tremendous value addition. With Josh Naylor traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Nathaniel Lowe moved to the Washington Nationals, and Carlos Santana signed a one-year contract with the Guardians, the top first base targets swiftly slipped off the board.
Before acquiring Goldschmidt, the Yankees had been vying for some of those top alternatives, and they could have landed the best one at a reasonable cost.
Despite being 37 years old, Goldschmidt has proven that he is still a competent middle-of-the-order player. Prior to the All-Star break, he had a poor season with the Cardinals, but he had a much better second half, hitting.271 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs.
Goldschmidt is a significant improvement for the Yankees at first base.
Additionally, the 2022 NL MVP is an immediate improvement over their first base from the previous season. Last season, the lineup of Jon Berti, Oswaldo Cabrera, Ben Rice, DJ LeMahieu, and Anthony Rizzo didn’t do much at the position. They have a stronger offensive threat there right now because to Goldschmidt.
The Yankees have done their homework by seeking the most practical possibilities that are significant improvements over what they had the season before, even if bringing in an older player who is far past his peak carries a significant risk.
Given that there is still a gap in the infield for them, the Yankees are probably not done acquiring hitters. Alex Bregman, a free agent third baseman, has drawn their attention, and they are also interested in trading for Nolan Arenado.
As the year comes to a finish, the market has begun to heat up once more after experiencing a temporary freeze. It remains to be seen how the Yankees will handle their other needs over the remainder of the summer.
