The New York Yankees’ pursuit of the World Series is even more remarkable considering the poor performance from their first base position. With a .619 OPS during the regular season, Yankees first basemen ranked last in MLB. While that number has improved to .760 in the postseason, the team is still expected to decline Anthony Rizzo’s team option, making him a free agent.
If the front office feels Ben Rice isn’t ready to step into the everyday starter role, they are likely to seek a first baseman through free agency or trades this offseason. Former New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso stands out as a prime target.
According to an October 20 article by Kerry Miller from Bleacher Report, the Yankees have the fifth-best chance of signing Alonso this offseason. Miller noted that the team’s pursuit of Alonso may hinge on their ability to re-sign Juan Soto, which seems increasingly likely.
Miller posed an intriguing scenario: “What if they call Gerrit Cole’s bluff and let him walk?” He highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Cole’s potential opt-out from the final four years of his contract, which could lead to the Yankees having to decide between five years of a 34-year-old Cole for $180 million or six years of a 30-year-old Alonso for the same price.
He concluded that if the Yankees opt for Alonso, they could create a formidable lineup featuring Alonso, Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton, along with Austin Wells, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Jasson Domínguez.
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