One thing is clear—the New York Yankees’ priority is Juan Soto. Even Hal Steinbrenner, who isn’t typically vocal about internal updates, came out to mention that he has ears, and the team is in the ‘mix’ of this Soto race, along with the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays, to name a few. But while they have the money—it seems they simply cannot compete with Steve Cohen.

Apparently, the highest the Yankees can offer Juan Soto is $550 million. At first sight, that seems a lot, but then, others are willing to offer north of $600 million. Steve Cohen, meanwhile, is ready to pay $50 million more than what any of the other teams offer. So, right now, things look tough; the Yankees need a Plan B, and it seems like going the way of Christian Walker could be their next smart move.

Yankee’s Plan B might involve Christian Walker

The New York Yankees need a Plan B so they can pivot if Juan Soto ends up with the Mets or any other team. And if that happens, Christian Walker could be a great backup plan. Now, this name isn’t out of the blue and has been under Yankee radar. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that New York can ‘aggressively’ pursue him, considering the affordable price tag of around $65 to $66 million when compared to other first basemen. Nightengale also mentioned Walker could cost half of Pete Alonso.

Andy McCullough from the Athletic, too, highlighted that if Soto ends up elsewhere, “Hal Steinbrenner will reallocate those resources to improve the lineup and the rotation.” In this case, for him, Walker makes the best sense and offers a solid upgrade over Anthony Rizzo at the plate. Not to mention that the New York Yankees can help solidify the lineup without breaking the bank.

However, there are at least six teams that Nightengale mentioned are in pursuit of Christian Walker, from the Diamondbacks to the Washington Nationals. So it’s not going to be easy to clench him either.

Why do the Yankees need Walker?

With Anthony Rizzo’s time on the team coming to an end, the New York Yankees are left with a hole at first base. Rizzo, meanwhile, has struggled to follow a concussion this season, and the Yankees had a tough time because of that—they finished with the worst WRC in the American League. Caleb Moody of Just Baseball pointed out how the New York Yankees went for a 76 wRC+ at first base, along with a.216 batting average and.335 slugging percentage. “It was arguably the position they struggled at the most this past season,” Caleb mentioned, and that’s where Walker comes in.

Walker posted a strong 119 wRC+ last season and has an above-average bat and an elite defense. His presence in pinstripes could give the New York Yankees’s position that they struggled with a major upgrade. And of course, given that Walker’s not going to cost much in the market, this is a huge plus for the Yankees. Hal Steinbrenner was also talking about the luxury tax being a problem, so financially, Walker can be a smart move for the team.

Do you think Christian Walker will be in pinstripes the next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.