The New York Yankees have a clear priority this winter.
After extending their sole qualifying offer of the offseason to superstar slugger Juan Soto, the team confirmed what fans and rival front offices all expected: it hopes to convince the 26-year-old free agent to return to the Bronx for another World Series run.
But Soto is certain to decline the $21.05 million qualifying offer in favor of a long-term contract, which he might receive from any number of teams.
As the greatest on-base talent of his generation, with four All-Star nods and four Silver Slugger Awards in his career already, Soto is in line for a 15-year, $622 million contract, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden.
And if Soto's largest offer proves to be too much for the Yankees to match, the team will be on the hunt for some other roster reinforcement. Reflecting on the possibility that Soto signs with the crosstown rival New York Mets, ESPN's Buster Olney urged the Yankees to consider a blockbuster infielder signing instead.
"A theory of one rival executive is that if Soto signs with the Mets, then agent Scott Boras - who represents Soto and slugger Pete Alonso - will work to convince the Yankees that they need Alonso to fill in the power gap. But for the Yankees, long-term investments in three right-handed sluggers on the downslope of their respective careers feel like an imbalance," Olney wrote. "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."
Adames slashed .251/.331/.462 with 23 home runs and 21 stolen bases with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024. At age 29, with a career .972 fielding percentage at shortstop, it stands to reason that the bidding for his services could get "nutty." But he's in line for a much more affordable deal than Soto. Bowden projected that Adames will earn a six-year, $150 million contract this winter.
If the Yankees do shift their priority to Adames, it's likely that Anthony Volpe would retain the everyday shortstop role. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Adames can each play second or third base, and the Yankees might part with free agent Gleyber Torres altogether. In any case, they will have gained a flexible infielder with strong base running and fundamentally sound defense.
Adding Adames might not have the same impact that retaining Soto on a long-term deal would, but the infielder could be a welcomed consolation prize.
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