The New York Yankees have done what they’ve needed to do after losing Juan Soto. The unfortunate part of losing a player of his status is that the Yankees were never going to find a replacement for him. There’s a short list of hitters in Major League Baseball who do what Soto does, and at 26 years old, it just wasn’t going to happen.
The Yankees lineup added some new faces, notably Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. Bellinger has had a tough career to evaluate, while Goldschmidt has been a superstar outside of last season. When Bellinger was at his best, he was an MVP Award winner. However, since his MVP season in 2019, when he posted a 167 OPS+, he’s been a 100 OPS+ bat.
The Yankees have questions, and Caleb Moody of Just Baseball is worried about them. He believes the Yankees need another bat, urging them to replace Soto’s offensive firepower with Alex Bregman.
“So in all likelihood, with all other starting roles seemingly covered in the Bronx, their offensive needs lie at either second or third base in 2025. There’s a few options on the free agent or trade market that New York could look at to fill either one of the required infield spots in 2025. The first and most productive options would be to flex their financial muscles and go out and spend the most for Alex Bregman in free agency and have him occupy third base.
“If the Yankees have learned anything from losing out on Soto in free agency it’s that they don’t have a clear Robin to Judge’s Batman. They lack that second great bat. Bregman can certainly be that guy for New York, as in nine major league seasons he’s posted a wRC+ above 120 and an OPS above .800 in six of them, including two in the past three seasons,” Moody wrote on January 3.
Do the Yankees Have Interest in Bregman?
There have been conflicting reports about whether the New York Yankees have an interest in Bregman.
However, two prominent reporters have recently stated that the Yankees aren’t in on him.
Jon Heyman said he wouldn’t rule it out but doesn’t see it happening.
“Yankees I’ll mention with Bregman, not gonna rule it out, third base isn’t completely solved,” Heyman said on a recent Bleacher Report live stream. “I don’t see that happening as a likelihood. I think they’ll give LeMahieu a shot, [prospect Oswald] Peraza, some of the other guys potentially a shot.”
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com also wrote that it’s “unlikely.”
“Entering the offseason, the two teams that many expected to be primary suitors for Bregman were the Astros and Yankees, but as we enter 2025, the two American League contenders seem unlikely to be landing spots for the two-time All-Star,” Feinsand wrote on January 3.
Free agency can change, so the Yankees not being involved in him right now doesn’t mean they won’t be at some point if he’s still on the market.
Who Will Play Third Base for the Yankees?
If the New York Yankees don’t land Bregman or another player via free agency or a trade, an internal option would have to take the job.
There are a few youngsters who could, but that would be risky for the Yankees. For a team looking to win a World Series, eliminating risk should be their plan.
Instead, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com predicted Jorbit Vivas will start at third on Opening Day.
“A dark-horse infield candidate, Jorbit Vivas caps an outstanding spring training by being named the Yankees’ Opening Day third baseman,” Caldera wrote on January 2.
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