5 moves the Yankees need to make to stay competitive after losing Juan Soto

After one year in pinstripes, Juan Soto is doing his trademark shuffle across town to Citi Field. To say this is a blow to the New York Yankees and their fanbase is an understatement. The slugger that helped lead them to their first World Series since 2009 has turned his back on them for a higher-paying gig with their longtime subway rivals, the Mets. The Mets will pay Soto a record $765 million for 15 years.

But while the ‘Soto is a Met’ celebration roars through Queens, the feeling in the Bronx should be far from forlorn. Sure, plan A fell through in unheroic fashion, but now, they sit on a pile of unused Soto-bucks and several quality targets still on the market. The offseason is still young. How should the Yankees address the holes in their roster?

To be successful in the playoffs, teams need a lineup that combines power and on-base percentage, both of which Soto excels at. To replace Soto, the Yankees are going to need more than one good bat. In addition, their pitching staff has also proven to be unstable. Given their situation, what should constitute a winning plan B? Let’s review some savvy trade targets and some top-of-the-line free agents that could make Yankees’ fans everywhere forget about Soto.

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Yankees trade targets:

2. Brandon Lowe

The Gleyber Torres era appears to have come to a close in the Bronx. Now, he headlines the rather shallow free agent class of second basemen. There is another option in Hyeseong Kim, but he is unproven having spent his career in the KBO. By all accounts, it doesn’t look like the Yankees are going to find a suitable replacement on the free agent market unless they take a chance with Kim. Word on the street is that prospect Caleb Durbin, a high on-base infielder in the minors that isn’t much on power, is set to be the Yanks next second baseman. But just in case, there is option on the trade market that is worth a long look.

Brandon Lowe has seen considerable time on the injured list the past three years. In each of the past two years, he saw over 375 and hit 21 home runs in both during a consistent stretch. But when healthy in 2021, Lowe mashed 39 home runs. The math here is rather simple: 39 home runs + left-handed pull-side power hitter + short-right porch = happiness.

Last season, Lowe posted a .244/.311/.473/.784 slash line in addition to his 21 home runs through 385 at-bats. He has a tendency to hit balls in the launch-angle sweet spot which is a definite plus.

Lowe is due $10.5 million next season and comes with a $11.5 million club option for 2026. As one of the Rays top earning players, he will most likely be traded before the start of the season. And with his injuries, the asking price shouldn’t be exorbitant.

1. Seiya Suzuki

The Yankees have been floated as a fit for slugging outfielder Anthony Santander. Santander would be acquired solely for his power as he hit 44 home runs last season with a .235 average. But while power is important to the Yankees, maintaining a high on-base percentage without Soto will be a challenge, and there happens to be an underrated trade candidate that hit for a higher OPS than Santander did last season.

Seiya Suzuki has been placed on the trading blocked by the Chicago Cubs who are motivated sellers. This past year, Suzuki slashed .283/.366/.482/.848 with 21 home runs through 512 at-bats after battling an oblique injury that caused his numbers to suffer for a brief stretch. Suzuki’s .848 OPS ranked him 18th in that stat, topping free agent stars such as Santander, Teoscar Hernandez, and Jurickson Profar.

Suzuki has been getting better the at the plate since the year he first arrived from Japan where he posted stellar numbers. When the Cubs signed him, they were expecting a transformational power hitter, but he hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations. However, he still hits the ball exceptionally hard and often finds the launch-angle sweet spot, which is a good combination. Although he is yet to post the lofty numbers he did in the NPB, he is still very much a quality hitter who would complement the Yankee batting order.

Suzuki is owed $19 million per season for the next two seasons before hitting the open market. He has a full no-trade clause which means he can turn down a trade. If the Yankees trade for him and he accepts, Suzuki might be a very favorable bet especially if he can begin to emulate his performance in the NPB.

Yankees free agent targets:

3. Tanner Scott

That brings us to a spot where the Yankees will need some serious help and plenty of reinforcements. With several key relief arms on the market, including Clay Holmes who was picked up by the Mets, the Yankees have a chance to give their bullpen an overhaul. This offseason, there isn’t a relief pitcher on the free agent market that tops Tanner Scott.

This past season, Scott threw to a 1.75 ERA with 84 strikeouts through 72 innings. His ERA took a dent after joining the Padres but still managed to keep his 2024 ERA under 2.00. Scott broke out in 2023 when he pitched to a 2.31 ERA with 104 strikeouts over just 78 innings.

His repertoire features a high 90’s fastball paired with a high 80’s slider. He is at the top of the list when it comes to producing soft contact but also generates plenty of chase and whiffs. In addition to racking up strike outs, a large part of his success involves inducing groundballs.

As a rising star, Scott is expected to land a big payday. However, after losing Juan Soto, the Yankees have ample room to afford him.

2. Corbin Burnes

Juan Soto’s departure will leave a giant hole in the Yankees’ offense. However, this may be a case where the best defense is a great offense. The Yankees’ starting rotation has been the cause of woe over the past season. Meltdowns from Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and Nestor Cortes make the pitching staff a question mark. But with a load of cash and a spirited attitude for having whiffed on Soto, there is one clear option the Yankees need to reel in.

Corbin Burnes is currently the prize of the pitching market. He is coming off another spectacular year in which he threw to a 2.92 ERA with 181 strikeouts through 194.1 innings. Burnes is an annual Cy Young contender having been in the race each year since 2020, winning the award with a dominant 2.43 ERA in 2021. But this isn’t all.

Burnes has a glowing postseason record as well. He maintains a stellar 2.33 through 27 innings. This even includes a four-inning four-run blowup against the Arizona D-Backs. Pairing him with Gerritt Cole at the top of the rotation might make an unbeatable 1-2 punch that would stump opposing hitters and could claim a championship for the Yankees without Soto.

1. Pete Alonso

That brings us to the power hitter that the Yankees’ batting order now lacks in Soto’s absence. While Soto is hanging up his pinstripes to don a Met’s jersey, the Yankees must consider it their priority to make Mets’ slugger Pete Alonso do just the opposite.

The rookie home run king represents the top of the first base market and now, is probably the biggest name left on the market. Last season was a down year for the Polar Bear, posting a slash line of .240/.329/.459/.788 with 34 home runs, and the fact that this was a down year makes Alonso truly remarkable. His 2024 home run rate is the lowest in his career. In his 162-game average, Alonso’s home run total stands at a staggering 43. In only six years, Alonso has hit 40+ home runs three times not including a shortened 2020 where he hit an equivalent number of long balls.

The past two seasons saw Alonso’s batting average drop considerably, however, given his power, he is a definite must sign for the Yankees, especially since his average can recover. Alonso also carries an exceptional postseason record. His .429 postseason on-base percentage trounces even Soto’s .389 and there isn’t a postseason series Alonso has played in where he didn’t hit a home run totaling five in four matchups across 54 at-bats. And at age 30, he offers plenty of upside. For the Yankees, Alonso is a perfect fit.