Yankees Seen as Landing Spot for Projected $66 Million 2-Time Gold Glove Winner

Getty The Yankees might be looking for an upgrade at first base this winter. Could Christian Walker be on their radar?

The New York Yankees are busy trying to win their first World Series title since 2009. But once the Fall Classic is complete, general manager Brian Cashman’s focus will turn squarely on building the 2025 roster. Could first baseman Christian Walker be on the Bombers’ radar?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic discussed best fits and contract predictions for this winter’s top 45 MLB free agents. He sees New York as a fit for Walker, who has spent the last eight years with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Christian Walker is one of the best first basemen in the sport. Despite his years of production, he’s never made an All-Star team; I thought he was the biggest All-Star snub this summer,” he said. “The two-time Gold Glove Award winner is in line to win his third after leading NL first basemen in outs above average.”

Walker appeared in at least 157 games in 2022 and 2023 for Arizona. He played in just 130 games in 2024 but still managed to post a .803 OPS with 26 home runs, 84 RBI and 72 runs scored.

How Christian Walker Could Fit Into the Yankees’ Plans

When healthy, Anthony Rizzo has been the Yankees’ starting first baseman. He’s about to finish his last guaranteed season of a two-year, $40 million contract. His deal includes a $17 million club option for 2025. However, there have been predictions that the Bombers will cut the veteran loose and look for another solution at first base.

Walker would bring legitimate power – he’s racked up four seasons of 20-plus homers since 2019, including each of the last three seasons. According to FanGraphs, his 2024 performance led to a 119 wRC+ and 3.0 WAR. Yankees first basemen collectively produced a 76 wRC+ and -1.1 WAR in the regular season. New York’s defense also produced -3 Outs Above Average (OAA) at first base, according to Statcast. That pales in comparison to the 13 OAA Walker produced.

Bowden is predicting he’ll get a three-year, $72 million deal this winter. Spotrac estimates the 33-year-old’s market value at three years and $66 million.

Who Else Might the Yankees Compete With for Walker?

The 2025 campaign will be Walker’s age-34 season. However, his consistent recent track record paired with a lower potential price tag will likely make him a popular target among teams needing an upgrade at first base.

Bowden mentioned the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros as the “best early team fits” for the right-handed slugger. He also added the Diamondbacks and New York Mets as other potential landing spots.

Walker makes a lot of sense for the Yankees. His presence would be a significant upgrade from New York’s 2024 production at that spot on the diamond. His expected price wouldn’t be overwhelming, which will help them in their pursuit of signing outfielder Juan Soto to a $500-plus million contract. If a match doesn’t happen here, there are other short-term options also available via free agency.