After this season, Juan Soto will enter free agency for the first time in his career. While the Yankees would certainly like to re-sign him, the competition for his services will be stiff. Multiple teams will be in the mix as well. However, losing Juan Soto wouldn’t be the end of the world for the New York Yankees. If New York can’t bring back Soto, I believe pivoting to Anthony Santander wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Juan Soto’s Free Agency Will Be Intense
Embed from Getty ImagesJuan Soto lived up to the hype that surrounded him when the Yankees acquired him last offseason. He set career highs in hits (166), runs (128), home runs (40), and RBI (109). The 25-year-old was also an all-star for the fourth time in his career. Thanks in part to Soto’s efforts, the Yankees won the AL East and clinched the best record in the American League. Juan Soto also played a big part in dispatching the Kansas Royals in the ALDS and advancing to the ALCS. At the end of the year, Soto is certainly going to garner MVP votes.
While it has been a fun summer having Juan Soto in pinstripes, the 25-year-old will be a free agent after this year. It predicted that the potential salary the young left-handed slugger would command will break records. Some say that Soto could earn a salary of over $500 million. Given how Soto can transform a lineup, competition for his services will be intense. Soto’s free agency might be the most competitive in baseball history. Besides the Yankees, teams like the Mets, Giants, Dodgers, and others will be in the mix. Further complicating things is he is represented by the universally hated Scott Boras. This means that his contract negotiation will possibly take all winter and possibly into spring training.
Anthony Santander Is A Logical Fallback Option For The Yankees
Embed from Getty ImagesGiven the intensity of Juan Soto’s free agency and the amount of money involved, there’s a chance he will wind up in another uniform in 2025. The 29 other MLB teams all want somebody like Juan Soto in their lineup as well. If Juan Soto doesn’t come back to the Bronx, it’ll mean that a gigantic hole will be left in right field. Top-prospect Spencer Jones doesn’t appear to be ready to come up to the big club just yet. The most logical thing the Yankees can do is pivot to free agent Anthony Santander.
Anthony Santander had a nice walk year in his own right with the Baltimore Orioles. He finished the 2024 season slashing .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs, 102 RBI, and a .814 OPS. The 29-year-old even made the all-star team for the first time in his career. Given that Corbin Burnes will also be a free agent and command a high salary as well, Baltimore will probably be unable to retain both of them. With several contracts coming off the books and the money saved from Juan Soto leaving, New York should have enough to bring the 29-year-old switch hitter to the Bronx.
Santander Would Add A Quality Switch Hitting Element
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile Santander isn’t Juan Soto, he’d still be a quality bat for the Yankees lineup. He wouldn’t cost nearly as much to sign as Juan Soto will this offseason. Unlike Soto, Santander is also a switch hitter. The Yankees haven’t had a great switch hitter since Mark Teixeira retired in 2016. While Santander has shown he’s a better right-handed hitter, perhaps having the short porch at his disposal could do wonders for him batting left-handed.
Santander Proved He Can Have Success Playing In New York
Embed from Getty ImagesWhenever a free agent signs with the Yankees, there’s always that question of whether they can handle playing in New York. As a major Yankee opponent this season, it didn’t seem to affect him. While playing at Yankee Stadium in 2024, Santander had a slash line of .240/.296/.640 with three homers, seven RBI, and a .936 OPS. The only places where the 29-year-old hit had more success were Nationals Park, Rogers Centre, Kauffman Stadium, Fenway Park, and Coors Field. The transition to playing in New York all year shouldn’t be an issue.
His Strikeout Concerns Can Be Alleviated
Embed from Getty ImagesThe only concern about adding Anthony Santander is he is very strikeout prone. As a team, the Yankees had a strikeout rate of 21.2% in 2024 which was the fifth-best in the American League. The only teams that struck out less than New York were the Astros, Royals, Guardians, and Blue Jays. This was due in part to having Juan Soto in the lineup who despite being a big power hitter has a low strikeout rate. Individually, Santander had a strikeout rate of 19.4% in 2024. However, that was a drop off from the 23.2% strikeout rate he had in 2023. In 2025, the Yankees lineup will already feature high strikeout hitters in Aaron Judge, Anthony Volpe, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. However, given the refined approach Yankee hitters used and how Santander cut down his strikeouts, this concern can easily be eased.
Anthony Santander Is Someone Worthwhile For The Yankees
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile it would be the Yankees’ preference to have Juan Soto in pinstripes long-term, their wish can’t be guaranteed. The competition to win the Juan Soto sweepstakes will arguably be the most intense in baseball history. However, in case the Yankees can’t bring back Soto, Anthony Santander would be a good fallback option. He would give the Yankees quality power from both sides of the plate. The Yankees haven’t had a player with that kind of ability since Mark Teixeira retired. More importantly, Santander showed that he can have success playing in New York. In case they fail to bring back Juan Soto, the Yankees ought to consider signing Anthony Santander this offseason.
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