The New York Yankees now have a need to shop for a primary first baseman. The free agent market for first basemen consists of a few options that could drastically improve the club’s lineup.
The Yankees Need to Enhance Their First Base Situation
Brian Cashman and his staff made an interesting acquisition last off-season. They brought on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, signing him to a one year, $12.5 million contract. This may have confused the thoughts of many Yankees supporters.
The team was in a spot to enhance their offensive production by making a bold offseason statement. Signing a run generating first baseman was expected. Management thought differently and went with a player 37 years of age.
Goldschmidt is a remarkable veteran, with 15 years of Major League experience and is a seven-time all-star. Unfortunately, his numbers seem to be dwindling, and that’s natural, based on his current career point.
First Baseman Paul Goldschmidt Was Not the Guy for the Job
Opportunity is earned, not gifted. In Goldschmidt’s case, he’s earned his 2025 contract with the Yankees, due to a fantastic career. 2025 is set to be his last year as a Yankee, especially with his overall offensive performance and where the team lagged.
The club occupied first place in the American League East for a while until the slide. The Toronto Blue Jays took over, and carried it into the postseason, giving the Yankees the harder route.
The Yankees beat the Red Sox in the wild card series and reunited with the Blue Jays in the American League Division Series. The Yankees offense was non-existent, which contributed to the overall loss of the series.
This was not Goldschmidt’s fault by any means; he played six total postseason games and recorded 11 at-bats. He had four hits and one walk; that was the extent of his production.
The first baseman’s regular season also wasn’t the greatest. He recorded 489 at-bats with 134 hits, 10 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 32 extra base hits. The Yankees infielder struck out 64% of the time.
His overall player profile, especially on the hitting end of the game did not make sense and probably won’t be considered going forward. Goldschmidt is now a free agent.
The Yankees Missed Out On An All-Around Player
Josh Naylor was one of the elites amongst the pool of first baseman free agents for 2025-2026. Naylor may have been a far-fetched idea for the Yankees but the idea was quite possible.
The first baseman was traded to the Seattle Mariners from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2025 trade deadline. This was to provide the offence that Seattle needed to assist their postseason run.
Naylz is BACK.
We’ve signed 1B Josh Naylor to a five-year contract through the 2030 season. #TridentsUp
🔗 https://t.co/1ZAO3LGy8q pic.twitter.com/3wnVjfvr9Z
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) November 17, 2025
Naylor briefly swam in the free agent pool until the Mariners realized they needed him. The Mariners signed him for a five-year commitment worth $92.5 million.
Naylor would’ve brought everything the Yankees needed at the right-corner of the field and the batter’s box. His defense is impeccable, and his offensive ability is spoken for. The Mariners first baseman finished with 20 home runs, 92 RBIs, 160 hits, including 30 extra-base hits, and a .353 on-base percentage.
He would have also brought aggression and IQ on the base pads with the ability to steal. Naylor stole 30 bags in the regular season, always giving his team a chance to win. He also had a WAR of 3.1.
Where Do the Yankees Pivot?
The team will rely heavily on Ben Rice to cover the first baseman position. He’s also a catcher and prime designated hitter. To split the work, the name Kyle Schwarber was thrown around, to keep Rice positionally fit.
The other option could be one of the best first basemen in the national league, Pete Alonso. Alonso is expensive, high caliber, and will cost a lot. He has a 5.6 WAR and would absolutely be a factor in the Bronx.
A more feasible option may be Rowdy Tellez, who played for both the Mariners and Texas Rangers this season. Tellez totaled for a .228 batting average, .276 on-base percentage, and .443 slugging percentage.
Main Photo Credits: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
