Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Deemed 'Realistic' Free Agency Fit for All-Star Slugger

The New York Yankees have been linked to an All-Star free agent who could fill several positional needs.

Grant Young

Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Aug 14, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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The dominoes have already started to fall during MLB free agency this offseason, and the New York Yankees are among several teams who have already made at least one major splash.

However, there are still some extremely appealing free agents available, and the Yankees have several positions that could use a boost.

While the Cody Bellinger trade makes it so the Yankees are likely set in the outfield, there's one versatile player still available who could fill multiple positional needs for New York.

That player is 2024 NL All-Star and former San Diego Padres slugger Jurickson Profar — who was called a 'realistic' free agency fit for the Yankees in a December 28 article from MLB.com.

"The Yankees have already made a number of big moves (such as signing Max Fried, trading for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger and agreeing to a deal with Paul Goldschmidt), but they could land another big bat for their lineup," MLB.com writer Theo DeRosa wrote.

"The switch-hitting Profar could slot into left field but could also play a role in the infield, where he began his career. Once an elite prospect, Profar delivered a breakout year for the Padres, hitting .280 with 24 homers and an .839 OPS and making the NL All-Star team.

"He could be just the right fit for a Yankees team that wouldn't mind adding a skilled and versatile hitter and has long been a fan of Profar's game," DeRosa continued.

It remains to be seen whether Profar can replicate the elite season he had in 2024. But given his undeniable talent, he could become a key component to the Yankees' future if they took a chance on him this offseason.

Published
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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