The New York Yankees might cast a wide net for players depending on what Juan Soto does in free agency. That’d be a wise decision, as their lineup would look drastically different without Soto.
Unfortunately, replacing the slugger would be nearly impossible. There’s a reason why he’s on pace to become a Hall of Famer one day at just 26 years old. For the Yankees, however, there will be some options for them to pursue. Willy Adames could be a name to watch, as he’s one of the top hitters on the market.
Buster Olney of ESPN urged the Yankees to sign the middle infielder if they lose Soto.
“If Soto departs, Willy Adames might be an interesting target, with the Yankees possibly shifting him to third or second, but agents expect that the bidding for Adames is going to be nutty this winter,” Olney wrote on November 4.
Adames Could Be Looking at Nearly $200 Million in Offseason
Most contract predictions for Soto have come in at the $500 to $700 million mark. If it falls between either of those numbers, he’d be a very expensive player to sign for any team. The New York Yankees have the money to do so, but there’s always a scenario where they get outbid.
Adames could be in a similar category regarding them getting outbid, as he’s looking at a potential $200 million deal. If the Yankees are willing to give $600 million to Soto, they might be willing to give $200 to Adames if the left-handed slugger departed during the 2024 offseason.
In Kiley McDaniel of ESPN’s latest prediction, he had Adames coming out with a $189 million deal over seven years, proving the type of player he is.
“On the heels of a strong 2024 season in Milwaukee, Adames has floated to the top of this position player group with Alex Bregman just behind him. Adames is about a year and a half younger than Bregman and also offers more defensive value and in-game power,” McDaniel wrote on November 5. “I’d expect something like the Marcus Semien deal (seven years, $175 million before the 2022 season) adjusted for inflation for both of them, even though neither player is an exact comp to the Texas infielder on the field.
“There wasn’t a real everyday shortstop in last year’s free agent class, so Adames is the first true shortstop to hit the market since the 2022-23 bonanza that included Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson and Xander Bogaerts. Interest in Adames will be high because he can fit into a lot of situations, whether it is staying at shortstop or moving to third base for a team already set at the position.”
Adames Willing to Change Positions
While Adames is a better player than current New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, it likely isn’t to the point where they’d want to pay him nearly $190 million. Due to his age, Volpe is on a cheap deal and isn’t arbitration-eligible until 2026.
Luckily for the Yankees, Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Atheltic reported that he’s willing to change positions if needed.
“Free agent Willy Adames wants to stay at shortstop but would be willing to play a different position if he gets a strong offer from a team in position to win, league sources said,” the two wrote on November 5.
With Gleyber Torres potentially leaving in the winter, the Yankees could slide Adames over to second base, as his bat would be the biggest piece to signing him.
