The New York Yankees are almost always competitive in the free agency market, but in recent years they seem to come up short of landing the top overall free agent player. They were unable to retain Juan Soto this offseason, but they were able to land starting pitcher Max Fried through free agency.
Jon Heyman gives Yankees lower odds to land Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Given that their payroll has been slightly shed this offseason, the Yankees could be setting themselves up to go all-in on Toronto Blue Jays star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Blue Jays and Guerrero were unable to reach an extension before the start of Spring Training, meaning that the 25-year-old superstar will become a free agent after the 2025 season.
However, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman surprisingly expects the Yankees to be outbid by a handful of teams in the Guerrero pursuit. He gave them the fifth-best odds to sign him, behind the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, and Blue Jays.
“Guerrero for years said he hated the Yankees and would never go to The Bronx, but he recently retracted that. The bigger issue may be that their offense already revolves around two big right-handed hitters. Odds: 10-1,” Heyman wrote.
Adding Guerrero would instantly make up for the loss of Soto, as he is already one of the best hitters in all of baseball and is just now hitting his prime. Last season with the Blue Jays, Guerrero smashed 30 home runs and hit a career-high .323 for his batting average. He would immediately become the team’s second-best hitter behind Aaron Judge and form a scary one-two punch.
The door could be open for the Yankees to sign Guerrero in 2026
Currently, the Yankees have a temporary option at first base, as they signed veteran first baseman and former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal. Goldschmidt is 37 years old and likely won’t play past this season with New York unless he returns to MVP form.
Therefore, the door would be wide open for them to make a significant offer to Guerrero, who is expected to make a fortune in free agency. The Yankees would have the money to do it, and they shouldn’t hesitate to pounce on the opportunity.
Of course, there will be steep competition for him, as he will likely be the most sought-after free agent on the market next winter. The Red Sox and Mets made serious noise this offseason with many key signings, and they might want to make their statements more profound by adding a great hitter like Guerrero and keeping him away from the Bronx.
Ultimately, time will tell if the Yankees will be able to create some leverage for the Guerrero sweepstakes.