The New York Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal for the 2025 MLB season, but they already have their eyes on another first baseman for 2026.
The Yankees were linked to Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, and Carlos Santana in free agency to replace Anthony Rizzo. The team ended up settling on Goldschmidt for a one-year deal.
According to MLB insider Jim Bowden, New York wanted Goldschmidt on a one-year deal so they could pursue Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in free agency next offseason.
“They love the fact he’s on a one-year deal. Why is that? Because free agency like Kyle Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are two players they are going to have interest in next offseason,” Bowden said on CBS Sports. “They wanted to keep flexibility. Had they signed Christian Walker, for example, at 34-years-old, they would have had to give him a three-year deal Houston did. Instead, let’s do a one-year deal on Goldy, and keep our flexibility open for next year’s free agent market.”
Guerrero Jr. will be the top free agent available in 2025. The star first baseman hit .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs with the Blue Jays in 2024.
If he does reach free agency, Bowden expects the Yankees to heavily pursue him. He would replace Goldschmidt who signed for just one year.
Guerrero Jr. Walks Back on Comment About Yankees
Guerrero Jr. said he’d never play for the Yankees in his life.
However, a year after those comments, Guererro Jr. appeared to walk back on it and kept the door open for that to happen, back in June of 2024.
“Sometimes one says things. It is not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees,” Guerrero told Virus Deportivo. “But this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad (Vladimir Guerrero Sr.) and my family, and this is a business. And I said I would never again talk about this topic and lots of people have asked me about it…
“Like I tell you, I’m a player and if a team picks me or if they do something, it’s because they need it, obviously, and I’ll be happy to help any team,” Guerrero Jr. added. “But right now, I’m just focused on helping my team try to get out of this bad streak.”
With Guerrero Jr. seemingly not shutting down the idea of playing for New York, Bowden expects the Yankees to heavily pursue him next offseason.
Guerrero Jr. is a four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner.
Blue Jays Looking to Extend Star First Baseman
Guerrero Jr. is entering the final year of control and the Blue Jays are in talks to extend him.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Blue Jays have started contract extension talks with Guerrero Jr. for a long-term deal.
“The Jays are in talks with Guerrero about a long-term extension that would buy him out of his final year of arbitration and free agency,” Rosenthal wrote… “Signing Guerrero would be a major step toward re-establishing the franchise’s credibility. But in the wake of Juan Soto’s record 15-year, $765 million free-agent contract, the price will be steep. Guerrero is projected to earn almost $30 million in his final year of arbitration. (He) would hit the market entering his age-27 season.”
How much money Guerrero Jr. will sign for is to be seen. But, the star first baseman will have plenty of suitors if he reaches free agency in 2025.
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