Should the Yankees pursue Christian Walker?

Should the Yankees pursue Christian Walker?

Earlier this month, New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo had his $17 million team-option declined, leaving a gaping hole in the infield for New York heading into the 2025 MLB offseason.

Rizzo is beloved in the locker room, but is 35-years-old and is coming off one of his worst seasons since his rookie season with the San Diego Padres in 2011. There was a steady decline at the plate and in the field with Rizzo, a former two-way first baseman during his prime years with Chicago. So it’s understandable why the Yankees declined the option.

One of the top free-agent first basemen on the market is 33-year-old Christian Walker, a late bloomer who’s thrived in his last three years with Arizona. Should the New York Yankees consider pursuing him? Let’s discuss it.

First off, ESPN’s Jeff Passan linked him to the Yankees as a possible option Tuesday.

“A productive hitter who is widely regarded as the best defensive first baseman in baseball, the 33-year-old is a late bloomer primed to snag a three-year deal,” Passan wrote. “For a Yankees team looking to improve its defense, the three-time reigning Gold Glove winner would be an ideal fit.”

Walker has been one of the most productive first basemen in the National League in each of the last three seasons. He’s combined to slash .250/.332/.481 (.813) with a 123 OPS+, averaging 32 home runs and 94 RBIs per season. He clobbered 36 and 33 home runs in 2022 and 2023, respectively, but was limited to just 26 in 2024 after playing just 130 games due to injury.

He’s 6th amongst first basemen in fWAR over that span–finishing above free agent first baseman Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Naylor and Ryan Mountcastle, among others.

A big part of that has been due to his exceptional defense. He’s arguably the best defender at his position in the sport, finishing atop baseball in ultimate zone rating, defensive runs saved and outs-above-average by a considerable margin. He’s graded out in the 97th percentile or better in OAA in each of the last three seasons, per Baseball Savant; over that span, he’s also placed in the 75th percentile or better in barrel rate, 61st or better in walk rate, 74th in expected slugging and 67th or better in in expected weighted on-base average.

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He’s a very good player. Though the biggest red flag is his age; Walker turns 34-years-old in March. That will limit the size of his contract plus his total price tag. A three-year deal, hypothetically, will take him through his age-36 season. Arizona has been more hitter friendly than New York since the start of 2022, but a $20-$25 million per year price tag could be a steep price to pay for a late bloomer entering his mid-30s.

That said, Walker could represent a better value pick than, say, Pete Alonso, who could crack an excess of $200 million. There’s also few “young” first basemen that could be available–Paul Goldschmidt, Donovan Solano, Justin Turner and Carlos Santana are all not getting younger. Those options are better than an aging DJ LeMahieu, but it’s still not ideal.

Walker should be the guy the Yankees go and get, depending on what the cost is, at first base. Could three for $60 million get it done? I think it’s possible. There are questions surrounding him, sure. But he’s a better bat and defender that Rizzo was for roughly the same AAV, if the aforementioned price is what he goes for.

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