One of the New York Yankees’ biggest needs this offseason is at first base, and one source reports that the team is going to “aggressively” pursue Christian Walker as a free agent signing.
Bob Nightengale reported that there are roughly six teams interested in the free agent. Walker is one of the top position players available on the open market. He became an everyday player with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019, and he has been one of the better first baseman in baseball since.
Walker hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2022 while also having 5.0 wins above replacement. He received MVP consideration in 2023 after hitting 33 homers and driving in a personal-best 103 runs. The first baseman also had a .830 OPS, his best mark in a full regular season in his career.
Walker earned his third consecutive Gold Glove award in 2024 while also having 26 home runs and 84 RBIs. His 146 homers with the team are the fourth most in franchise history.
Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt, and Carlos Santana are all other notable free agent first-base options for the Yankees to pursue this offseason.
Anthony Rizzo was the Yankees’ primary first baseman in 2024. He hit .228 with eight home runs in 92 games during the year. The team declined Rizzo’s club option for 2025. He had been with the team since the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline.
Walker is set to turn 34 in March. The Diamondbacks did extend him a qualifying offer for He is likely to command a multi-year contract with the Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, and New York Mets both known to have interest in signing him.
Casey Fahrer is a recent graduate from Syracuse University and a contributor to Inside The Pinstripes. He can be reached at [email protected].
