If Juan Soto decides to join the New York Mets or another team, the New York Yankees have already prepared an alternative strategy. The Yankees have put in their best efforts to reacquire Soto. Now, they must bide their time until the hitter finalizes his decision, expected by this weekend.
In anticipation, the Yankees have engaged in discussions with top available pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried. Rumors also suggest Alex Bregman could be a secondary option. Clearly, there is a strong desire to strengthen the starting pitching rotation.
The current pitching lineup for the Yankees includes Gerrit Cole as the lead, supported by Carlos Rodon, Nestor Cortes Jr., Luis Gil, and Marcus Stroman. However, Stroman’s performance has been lackluster. The addition of Burnes or Fried could potentially elevate the Yankees’ starting rotation to an elite level.
Zoom meetings have already taken place between the Yankees and the pitchers. Nevertheless, they face stiff competition from other interested teams. Reports indicate that Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone, and team pitching coach Matt Blake have engaged in discussions with Burnes and Fried.
The Yankees appear to be well-prepared with contingency plans in place. The potential signings of Burnes and Fried are contingent on Soto’s contractual decisions.
Yankees Are Also Linked With Willy Adames As A Backup Plan
Regardless of Soto’s choice, the Yankees seem poised for any outcome. Aside from pursuing Burnes and Fried, they are also considering Willy Adames as an alternate contingency.
Regardless of Soto’s decision, the Yankees will make acquisitions this offseason, potentially saving a significant amount of money in case of his non-signing. With this saved capital, Steinbrenner intends to invest in acquiring talented hitters. Adames has had a successful career with the Brew-Crew, achieving a career-high of 32 home runs.
Bringing Adames to the team would be a positive move, perhaps requiring some positional adjustments. One possibility could involve moving Anthony Volpe to second base. Such transformations would be dependent on Soto’s decisions. Currently, the Mets and the Yankees are considered leading contenders for securing Soto.
Image Source: Corbin Burnes @ Instagram
