With Bellinger in center field, the Yankees have three legitimate options to play first base, but Alonso might not be the best one.
The latest in a series of All-Star acquisitions, OF Cody Bellinger gives new life to a depleted New York Yankees lineup. If Bellinger will indeed take over the everyday centerfielder role, the Yankees have three legitimate options to take over first base: Christian Walker, Pete Alonso… and Carlos Santana.
The Checklist
When considering who should fill the Yankees hole at first base, it’s important to weigh the following:
- Cost Effectiveness
- Both Sides of the Ball
- Do they block Ben Rice?
Cost Effectiveness
With a payroll already at $270 MM for 2025, the Yankees would be best served with a cost effective first baseman. With 2B Caleb Durbin gone and 3B Jazz Chisholm’s position still up-in-the-air, the Yankees need at least one other infielder in addition to a first baseman or give the reigns to 3B Oswaldo Cabrera full-time, inhibiting his utility value and making the Yanks very thinly staffed around the horn.
Both Sides of the Ball
A position known for slugging and offensive-load-shouldering, the Yankees first base options currently are UTL DJ LeMahieu and 1B Ben Rice, neither of whom move the needle offensively at present. Whomever the Yankees add, they need to elevate the caliber of the position offensively, low as that bar may be.
Following the SP Max Fried signing, Brian Cashman made it perfectly clear his desire to improve defensively as a unit, commenting on MLB Network:
“We weren’t the best defensive team last year, and one of the things that will help is improving the defense, obviously, and supporting that pitching staff as best we possibly can… athleticism is vitally important too… [it’s] all designed to get us more athletic.”
Defensive ability is especially paramount at the first base position. A first baseman’s ability to dig out a bad throw and deftly handle the majority of put-outs elevates the defense of every infielder around him, which is invaluable for a well-rounded team.
Do They Block Ben Rice?
Ben Rice is the heir apparent to the first base throne thanks to his otherworldly minor league numbers, but after an underwhelming debut in 2024, he likely needs some time to cement himself at the major league level. If the Yankees intend to hang onto Rice (at least as a first baseman), the player they bring in must be offensively better than Rice (at present) yet also platoon-able, so that he can develop.
For the sake of this article, I’m relying on the presupposition that the Yankees intend for Ben Rice to be their long-term first baseman. His career .399 OBP at the minor league level and .935 OPS indicate the great player he could be, and I think they’re better off keeping him around than trading him. (Plus, think of all the Fried Rice fun to be had). However, best case scenario is Ben Rice develops into a Pete Alonso or Christian Walker–so to those of you who wish to cut out the middleman and sign one of them, I understand.
The Case for Alonso
Pete Alonso is THE premier free agent hitter this winter, is equipped with big-market experience, and is only 30 years old. A right-handed hitter that profiles as a power-forward slugger, Alonso adds legitimate thump to the middle of any lineup he finds himself in. This makes him the perfect fit for the Yankees who have the resources to pay him, a hole at first base, and are looking to replace 40-homers they lost following Juan Soto’s departure.
Unfortunately for Alonso, the Yankees already have $270 MM committed to their 2025 roster, and the addition of the likely $25+ MM contract he will command leaves them little flexibility to make more additions. Since he’s 30 years old already and coming off a solid campaign, Alonso’s deal would likely be a long one, at least six years. Finding playing time for Ben Rice becomes essentially impossible and would likely necessitate a trade or return to the backstop to platoon with C Austin Wells.
Alonso’s career defensive numbers are shaky, oscillating between positive and negative defensive runs saved each season since his debut in 2019. For example, in 2023 he earned 6 runs saved compared to -3 in 2024–hardly the defensive darling Brian Cashman is searching for.
The Case for Christian Walker
Christian Walker is a late bloomer. The former 1B Paul Goldschmidt backup didn’t have his breakout until 2019, when he was 28 years old. Now, after three quietly impressive seasons of a 32-homer average and 123 OPS+, Walker is testing the free agent market for the first time preceding his age-34 season.
More than capable of providing some much-needed slug, Walker would be a bona fide addition to the middle of the Yankee lineup. Not only can he hit the cover off the ball, but Walker won his third consecutive Gold Glove this past season and would be a terrific fit for the Yankees vision for 2025. Power and defense from a position which gave them nothing last season would be a tremendous get for Brian Cashman and the Yankees.
His age is the only drawback preventing what could otherwise be a contract commensurate with Pete Alonso. Being 34, the consensus is Walker will likely sign a two- or three-season deal with an AAV in the mid-$20 MM range. Unfortunately, this is too much to spend on a player not to play him every day, meaning Ben Rice would likely rarely see the field unless Walker’s performance drops off a cliff, which would be a problem in of itself. At his age, Walker cannot be a long-term solution, necessitating you keep Ben Rice, but he is too expensive and too talented to platoon in the short term.
Walker actually signed a contract for three years and $60 MM with the Houston Astros Friday afternoon. Therefore, he is no longer an option for the Yankees and will instead join a rival who also had a clear need at the cold corner.
Enter Carlos Santana
Reading Carlos Santana’s name after the likes of Pete Alonso and Christian Walker can be difficult to stomach, something I myself had to confront. But I urge you to bear with me and allow yourself to consider it.
A switch hitter with 15 seasons of big league experience, Carlos Santana is as veteran as they come. He has turned in three consecutive seasons of 100 or greater OPS+ and in the past two seasons averaged 30 doubles and 23 home runs. Santana made just $7 MM and $5 MM in the last two seasons, and at that price tag the Yankees would get unparalleled bang for their buck at the position.
In 146 games last season, Santana posted a league-leading ten total zone runs (rtot) and eight defensive runs saved (rdrs). He’s also as durable as they come, and even with his advanced age (39 in April), Santana’s played in 90% of his team’s games since 2011.
Santana is also the picture-perfect platoon candidate for Ben Rice. A switch hitter, Santana owns a .826 lifetime OPS against left-handed pitchers to Rice’s .483. Allowing Santana his preferred matchup batting from the right side simultaneously allows Rice to develop against righties, who he hits better, and potentially adds .800 OPS production when in the lineup. Not to mention the wisdom Santana could impart on Rice fielding-wise, and the veteran presence he adds to the Yankee clubhouse.
He’ll likely be paid five or six million dollars on a one-year deal, the perfect size for a platoon player and bargain if his lefty-pitcher dominance continues. And being a one-year deal, a fully developed Ben Rice could assume the everyday role in 2026.
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