The New York Yankees have a need at first base after letting Anthony Rizzo hit free agency.
The Yankees declined their option on Rizzo and since then, New York has yet to make an addition to the lineup. But, Jon Heyman of The New York Post reported on X that the Yankees are interested in signing Carlos Santana.
“Still a $ gap in Bellinger trade talk with Yankees and Cubs as of this minute. It’s a matter of “who blinks first,” if ever. Still could happen but Yanks also considering Alonso, Walker, C. Santana, J. Naylor, N. Lowe, probably others,” Heyman wrote on X.
Santana is hoping to play multiple more seasons, but will likely sign a one or two-year in free agency.
In 2024 with the Minnesota Twins, Santana hit .238 with 23 home runs and 71 RBIs. Santana is a former 34-home run slugger who has a career-high of 113 RBIs.
Analyst Explains Why Santana Fits Yankees
Following Heyman’s report, Mark Polichuk of MLBTradeRumors writes that Santana is a good option for New York.
Santana would be a cheap one or two-year option for the Yankees at first base. He also would add power to the lineup, and his defense at first base won him a Gold Glove in 2024.
“Signing Santana would be the most straightforward and cost-effective move of the bunch,” Polischuk wrote. “Santana will almost surely require just a one-year guarantee because he is entering his age-39 season. Despite his age, Santana rebounded from a few middling seasons to post a .238/.328/.420 slash line and 23 home runs for the Twins over 594 plate appearances in 2024, while also winning the AL Gold Glove at first base. The combination of offense and defense translated to 3.0 fWAR for Santana, the third-highest of his 15 Major League seasons.
This production will merit Santana a raise on the $5.25MM he received in his one-year deal with Minnesota last winter, but concerns over his age and possible regression will probably limit his salary. Signing Santana would also be a relatively low-upside play, whereas trading for Naylor or Lowe represents a higher ceiling for production.”
Santana has been linked to the Seattle Mariners in free agency. But, with the Yankees, the slugging first baseman has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order bat on a World Series contender.
New York Has no Plans to Bring Rizzo Back
The Yankees declined its player option on Rizzo, but New York didn’t rule out bringing him back.
However, according to YES Network’s Jack Curry, the Yankees have “no plans” of bringing Rizzo back.
Rizzo had a $17 million option in 2025 which the Yankees’ declined. The first baseman battled injuries in 2024 but he wanted to remain with the Yankees.
“I love playing here, I love being a Yankee,” Rizzo said. “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 as he played in just 92 games.
