Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees' AL East Achilles Heel Linked to New York in Free Agency

The New York Yankees could pivot to signing a familiar AL East foe in free agency if they miss out on Juan Soto.

Grant Young

Jun 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander (25) hits a single against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Jun 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander (25) hits a single against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images
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The New York Yankees' offseason strategy hinges on whether they'll be able to re-sign superstar Juan Soto.

If they do bring Soto back, it appears certain that it will cost them at least $600 million, which doesn't leave much financial flexibility for them to pursue other top available free agents.

But if the Yankees end up losing the Soto Sweepstakes, they'll be able to use all the money they've allocated for him to bolster their roster in other ways.

And an October 30 article from Jon Heyman of the New York Post conveyed that a familiar AL East foe is a potential 'Plan B' for the Yankees if they don't sign Soto.

"The Yankees are figuring they might be able to sign three to four stars if they fail to sign Soto. Switch-hitter Anthony Santander is another name that interests them," Heyman wrote.

The 30-year-old Santander is coming off perhaps the best season of his MLB tenure with the Baltimore Orioles, where he hit .235 with an impressive .814 OPS and a career-best 44 home runs.

Santander has been a staple in the middle of Baltimore's lineup, hitting at least 28 home runs in each of the past three seasons. He owns a .216 batting average with a .746 OPS, 16 home runs, 38 RBIs, and 34 runs scored in 68 games against the Yankees in his career.

However, those numbers feel magnified because Santander always seems to do damage in crucial moments against New York; such as when he hit a walk-off home run against them in July 2023.

Spotrac projects Santander will sign a five-year, $97 million contract this offseason. Given his All-Star caliber upside, poaching him from Baltimore seems like a great Plan B for the Yankees if Soto ends up elsewhere this offseason.

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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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