The New York Yankees might've just made it to the World Series, but they had a roster full of holes. The bullpen was not as formidable as it usually is. The left field situation remained brutal. The starting rotation outside of Gerrit Cole was inconsistent. Perhaps the biggest issue on the roster, though, was their play at first base.
Anthony Rizzo performed surprisingly well in October after missing time with a couple of fractured fingers, but seven of his eight postseason hits were singles. His lone extra-base hit was a double. He hit just eight home runs in 92 regular season games, none in his final 95 regular season plate appearances. Rizzo was once an elite first baseman, but as his .637 regular season OPS would suggest, he just is not that anymore.
That simple fact is why the Yankees rejected his $17 million club option, allowing the 35-year-old to instead enter free agency. With Rizzo likely departing, there is a massive hole at first base. It could be filled internally with a guy like Ben Rice, but if the Yankees plan on getting back to the Fall Classic, they'd be wise to aim higher.
Pete Alonso is the most popular first baseman on the free agency market, and given how great of a player he is and his success in New York he makes a lot of sense as a natural fit. He has been linked to the Yankees on numerous occasions this offseason as well. With that in mind, though, as great as Alonso is, he might not be the best solution at first base for the Yankees in particular. As ESPN's Jeff Passan ($) notes, Christian Walker would be an ideal fit for the Bronx Bombers.
"Christian Walker, first baseman: A productive hitter who is widely regarded as the best defensive first baseman in baseball, the 33-year-old Walker is a late bloomer primed to snag a three-year deal. For a Yankees team looking to improve its defense, the three-time reigning Gold Glove winner would be an ideal fit."
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Alonso is the bigger name, but Walker feels like the better fit. No, Walker probably won't ever hit the 40+ home runs that Alonso does routinely, but he does just about everything else better.
He doesn't strike out nearly as much. He can hit for a slightly higher average. Perhaps most importantly, though, he's a much better defender. Alonso is a better defender than most give him credit for, but Walker has won each of the last three Gold Gloves at first base. It doesn't get much better in the field, and for a Yankees team that just saw its season fall apart largely because of defense, that should go into consideration.
In addition to Walker being the better defender than Alonso, the price tag won't be comparable. The AAVs might, but Passan is reporting that Walker is looking at a three-year deal. With Alonso being four years younger, he'll try to sign a deal for double the length.
Walker being 33 years old right now might be a bit concerning, but how sure are we that he's going to suddenly slow down? If he was as good as he was at 33, why can't he be great at 34 or 35? Alonso is coming off a down year at 29. Walker did miss some time due to injury, but in the 130 games he did play, he was at his usual All-Star level.
Walker would not be nearly as big of a splash as Alonso, but considering his defense, his price tag, and the fact that he's already proven that he can hit into his 30s, he might make more sense than Alonso to fix first base.
