The New York Yankees have achieved part one of their emergency backup plan after losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets. The Bronx Bombers agreed to a contract with free agent starting pitcher Max Fried to pair him next to Gerrit Cole at the top of the starting rotation.
Now, the Yankees need to continue to add to the roster. One place they can add is the outfield, obviously, with Anthony Santander of the Baltimore Orioles being one of the top options.
Rucker Haringey of FanSided recently projected the Yankees to steal Santander from the Orioles in a blockbuster move. Santander is projected to sign a five-year, $100 million deal, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
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“Cashman and his staff understand just how serious of a threat the Baltimore Orioles are in the AL East. That is not the only reason they should have interest in outfielder Anthony Santander, but it is a valuable, added bonus,” Haringey wrote. “Santander is going to earn a big contract in free agency but it won’t be anything close to what Soto got from the Mets. The Yankees should sign him for a fraction of the price and hope he gives them 80 percent of Soto’s production.”
The Yankees need to add an outfielder and if they want to avoid dealing from their limited prospect pool, Santander may be the best option. He slugged a career-high 44 home runs in 2024 and that number could shoot up even higher by playing in the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium.
If the Yankees can’t land Santander, Jurickson Profar and Teoscar Hernández would be suitable options. Cody Bellinger is a good trade target if the Yankees don’t have to eat his entire contract. Either way, Santander may be the best option because of his switch-hitting ability and slugging potential.
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