Yankees could sign $427M 4-time All-Star, World Series Champion after injury-riddled season

Hunter Cookston

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Yankees could sign $427M 4-time All-Star, World Series Champion after injury-riddled season image

The New York Yankees are coming off a season in which they felt they could have done more but fell short for the second consecutive year. There are some big decisions to be made this offseason in free agency, and it appears they may have to choose between Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker.

“But the one thing that Bellinger provides that Tucker doesn’t—two things actually—center field and first base. I’ll throw in a third thing: no qualifying offer. Tucker will have a qualifying offer that could affect him a little bit. Not that much because he’s a big star. He is the No. 1 free agent but in many respects Bellinger had a better year,” MLB insider Jon Heyman said.

Tucker would be a major acquisition for the Yankees, and projections suggest they are in the mix to land him.

“Despite a season that was marred by injury and inconsistent performance, Tucker is expected to be the highest paid free agent in this year’s class, with most analysts believing he will get between $400 million and $500 million. Tucker’s left-handed swing would play great at Yankee Stadium and his speed would be an important added element to the Yankees lineup,” The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote.

The Yankees are in a strong position for Tucker, especially as his end-of-year comments suggest the Chicago Cubs might not even be in contention.

“We'll see what happens. Don't know what the future is going to hold. If not, it's been an honor playing with all these guys and wish everyone best of luck whether it’s playing next year or not with them,” Tucker said.

Landing Tucker would change the Yankees’ perspective entirely. The short porch in right field will undoubtedly play to his advantage.

Next season is shaping up to be critical for New York, making this offseason’s free agency decisions extremely important. Signing Tucker would be a huge step in the right direction.

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Contributing writer

Contributing Writer