NYY News: We lost one of the greats
12/22/2024 12:00 AM
Rest in Peace, Rickey; Goldy to Bronx, Naylor to Arizona, Santana to Cleveland; Arenado speculation heats up
ESPN | Howard Bryant & Jeff Passan: Rickey Henderson passed away yesterday at the age of 65. Widely regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter ever, Rickey was a singular force in the sport, spending a quarter of a century at its highest level, including five years with the Yankees. He's the all-time leader in stolen bases and runs scored, and one of the most colorful, dynamic and entertaining figures in the history of baseball. We didn't just lose one of the very best of all time, we also lost possibly the coolest. (For more beyond ESPN, check out Andrew's writeup of Rickey's passing here.)
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Paul Goldschmidt is a New York Yankee. The 2022 NL MVP agreed to a one-year, $12.5 million contract for the upcoming season, plugging a hole the Yankees had at first base. Goldy isn't the hitter he once was, but Steamer is still projecting a 111 wRC+ for his age-37 season. More to the point, his projected 23 home runs are seven more than the entire first base platoon the Yankees ran out in 2024, so we should see a power boost.
On a perhaps-related note, Goldschmidt's signing set off a bit of a domino effect on the market at the cold corner. Slugging Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor was traded to the Diamondbacks ahead of his final year before free agency, with pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick heading backing to Cleveland in the exchange. Also reportedly heading back to Cleveland in a separate transaction: Carlos Santana. The veteran signed on at age 39 for one year and $12 million, marking his third separate stint in The Forest City, fresh off a 23-homer, Gold Glove-winning season for the division rival Twins.
NJ.com | Jimmy Hascup: With Goldschmidt now in the Bronx, speculation over Nolan Arenado joining his former Cardinal teammate has only grown. The two were absolute firecrackers for the Cards in 2022, when they combined for 14 fWAR and 65 home runs. I'm not going to be the high man on Arenado, but we have seen Veteran Voodoo Magic before. However, there is still the matter of Nolan's limited no-trade clause, and the Yankees are reportedly on his veto list.
