If Freddie Freeman leaves Atlanta and doesn’t land in the Bronx, the Yankees could get two savory first base options.
The market for a star first baseman is heating up, with the most likely avenues being a reunion with the Braves or joining the mighty Dodgers. The MLB network announced the news on Friday..
Also according to MLB NetworkThe Braves contacted the A’s about Atlanta native Matt Olson, which is an attractive (albeit probably expensive in terms of cost perspective) fallback.
So the fall of the first base domino could send Freeman, a five-time All-Star, to Los Angeles, who was heavily dependent on Albert Pujol last season, and Olson to Atlanta, and leave the Yankees empty-handed.
Matt Olson hit .271 with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs last season. David J. Phillip
The Yankees only have Luke Voight on the roster of 40, though DJ LeMahieu could fill that position. They could be on the market for either Freeman (who is 32 and reportedly due on a six-year contract) or Olson (who is 27 but his prospects will cost astronomically). Anthony Rizzo, a 32-year-old player who was traded by the Yankees at the trade deadline, is still a free agent.
It looks like Freeman’s lotteries should help define the rest of the first underlying market. It’s still hard to imagine the 12-year-old pro playing anywhere but Atlanta, but the world champion Braves haven’t locked him up and are reportedly looking into plan B.