Inside The Pinstripes

Superstar Infielder Linked to Yankees in Free Agency

An MLB insider thinks the New York Yankees could be in play for one of baseball's best offensive infielders in free agency.

Grant Young

Sep 29, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a New York Yankees cap and glove and logo during the game between the Rangers and the Yankees in the final home game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; A view of a New York Yankees cap and glove and logo during the game between the Rangers and the Yankees in the final home game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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The New York Yankees' infield is likely going to look quite different next season.

This is largely owed to Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo now being unrestricted free agents. It remains to be seen whether the Yankees will try to re-sign either player, but it's highly unlikely both will be back in pinstripes come 2025.

The versatility of Jazz Chisholm Jr., who can either stay at third base or take Torres' spot at second, affords the Yankees some flexibility in improving their infield this offseason. And in a November 4 article from ESPN, insider Buster Olney listed former Milwaukee Brewers infielder Willy Adames as an intriguing free agency option for the team.

"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.

Adames has been one of baseball's best offensive infielders since making his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018. While he has primarily been a shortstop in professional baseball, the 29-year-old is certainly athletic enough to man either second or third base, given Anthony Volpe being New York's shortstop.

In the 2024 regular season with Milwaukee, Adames hit .251 with a .793 OPS, 32 home runs, and 112 RBIs.

Adames has been great at the plate in his last 10 games against the Yankees, batting .289 with a 1.084 OPS, 3 home runs, and 13 RBIs.

Spotrac projects Adames will receive a seven-year, $189 contract this offseason. While the Yankees probably could not afford that and the massive contract Soto will demand, they could quickly pivot to acquiring Adames if Soto signs elsewhere.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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