With all of these contract extensions going on around Major League Baseball, one has to wonder what the New York Yankees’ plans are for free agency. A big target for them came off the board early Monday morning when first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500 million extension to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Yankees should pursue Kyle Tucker in free agency
However, they could have their eyes on another looming free agent who currently has not signed any sort of extension. Star outfielder Kyle Tucker, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs this offseason after spending his first seven years in the bigs with the Houston Astros, is set to hit free agency this winter.
He is expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market thanks to his exceptional hitting skills. He is already off to a strong start with the Cubs, leading the majors in hits with 15 including five homers and a 1.202 OPS, which leads the National League.
The Cubs may not be in the position to hand Tucker a lucrative extension, which makes the possibility of him being a one-and-done in Chicago very real. That’s where the Yankees should come into play, as they are coming into a season in which they lost Juan Soto in free agency, and are looking for another superstar to pair Aaron Judge with.
Tucker would give the Yankees another superstar bat
New York is off to a strong start themselves behind Judge’s blistering start, though they are lacking another superstar bat in the lineup. Soto and Judge were a top one-two punch in all of baseball last season and were key to their World Series run.
Tucker would give the Yankees another superstar in the outfield and one who is a left-handed bat that would play well at Yankee Stadium. Furthermore, it gives the lineup a big bopper aside from Judge that they are currently missing with Giancarlo Stanton on the IL.
Tucker would be a great replacement for Soto, but the Yankees have to show a willingness to attach a ton of money to another star player. Nevertheless, how Tucker performs this season could have a major impact on his free agency, and the Yankees should be one of the frontrunners in his sweepstakes.
