The New York Yankees and New York Mets are both expected to pursue slugging first baseman Christian Walker in free agency.
The Yankees and Mets both have an opening at first base after Anthony Rizzo and Pete Alonso became free agents. Although both have expressed interest in signing Alonso, MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes the rivals will ultimately get into a bidding war for Walker.
“There are at least six teams who plan to aggressively pursue Walker, with everyone involved from the New York Yankees to the Diamondbacks to the Washington Nationals, believing he’ll come at less than half the price of Alonso. He could ultimately be involved in a bidding war between the Yankees and Mets,” Nightengale wrote.
Walker will fill a void in both the Yankees and Mets lineup and be the team’s starting first baseman.
Last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Walker hit .251 with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs. His career-high was 36 home runs in 2022 and 103 RBIs in 2023.
What is Walker Expected to Get in Free Agency?
Walker is 33 years old and is expected to get a multi-year deal in free agency.
In MLBTradeRumors’ annual free agent prediction article, they have the first baseman signing a three-year $60 million deal in free agency.
“The sole reason that Walker seems limited to a three-year deal is age,” the article read. “He played this past season at 33 and will turn 34 during spring training next year. Were Walker a few years younger, he’d likely rank ahead of Alonso on this list, given his vastly superior defense. Three-year deals for first base/DH types at this age are rare but all generally fall in the same range.
“Jose Abreu received an ill-fated $58.5MM guarantee beginning in his age-36 season,” the article read. “Edwin Encarnacion and Carlos Santana both signed for three years and $60MM — Encarnacion starting in his age-34 season and Santana in his age-32 season. Walker should follow suit with a three-year guarantee at around $20MM, give or take a million or two.”
The Athletic, meanwhile, has Walker signing a two-year $44 million deal.
Ultimately, it seems likely Walker will get a two or three-year deal in free agency with an AAV of around $20 million per.
Yankees Declined Rizzo’s Option
The reason why the Yankees are expected to show interest in Walker is because the team declined Rizzo’s option.
Rizzo had an option in 2025 for $17 million, but the Yankees opted not to pick up the contract. Since declining the option, New York has also checked in with Alonso in free agency as first base is now a hole in the Yankees lineup.
After Game 5 of the World Series, Rizzo spoke about wanting to continue his career with the Yankees.
“To wear this jersey is something special that I wish every baseball player gets to feel, because it’s a different feeling, wearing this jersey,” Rizzo said… I love playing here, I love being a Yankee, I love what comes with it. I love the standard that has been set here from all the generations, the great Yankees in the past. Yeah, this could very well be [the end of his Yankees tenure]. I’m a realist. I’m not naive to it. But I think all that will shape out when the time is right.”
Rizzo hit .228 with 8 home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games last season.
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