The New York Yankees, despite having Aaron Judge, are now grappling with offensive concerns after losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, the New York Mets. Soto, who was second to Judge in hits, home runs, and RBIs during the 2024 season, leaves a significant gap in the Yankees’ lineup. To fill this void, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicts the Yankees will sign free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander to a five-year, $100 million contract.
While Santander doesn’t match Soto’s impressive .419 on-base percentage, his power at the plate makes him a strong candidate. A switch-hitting right fielder, Santander hit 44 home runs last season and has consistently excelled in slugging since 2022. In that span, only top hitters like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Matt Olson have surpassed Santander’s total of 105 home runs.
Santander’s 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles was his best yet, with a .235 batting average, .308 on-base percentage, and .506 slugging percentage. His 44 home runs earned him an All-Star appearance, a Silver Slugger Award, and MVP votes. Batting ahead of Judge in the Yankees’ lineup, his production could improve further, particularly with Yankee Stadium’s hitter-friendly dimensions. Miller notes that Santander hit three home runs there in 2024 and estimates he would have totaled 113 home runs over the past three seasons if all his games had been at Yankee Stadium.
Though replacing Soto’s elite on-base ability is nearly impossible, adding Santander allows the Yankees financial flexibility for other roster improvements, including bullpen and infield reinforcements. Combined with their recent signing of starter Max Fried, this strategy could position the Yankees for a stronger push toward the World Series than focusing solely on a single star like Soto.
