While the focus of the New York Yankees remains on building momentum for the playoffs, they should have the chance to improve the roster during the upcoming free agency period.
The sole focus of that time will be retaining superstar Juan Soto, who is likely to command north of $500 million during the offseason. That takes precedent above all else.
Assuming they are able to pull off the deal and bring Soto back to The Bronx, it remains to be seen how much space against the luxury tax the Yankees will have.
But there are needs beyond Soto that will need to be addressed as well. One of them is third base, considering the likelihood that Jazz Chisholm will move to second base following Gleyber Torres' departure.
The Yankees were named one of the top landing spots for Houston Astros star Alex Bregman, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
"The market for third basemen should be interesting. Besides the Astros and Giants, the teams with obvious needs include the Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees, presuming they move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second as a replacement for Gleyber Torres," Rosenthal wrote.
Whether the Yankees will have enough room to make a run at Bregman remains to be seen. His current projected value, according to Spotrac, gets him a deal worth $22.7 million per year.
The Yankees need more of a long-term option at third base. DJ LeMahieu appears over the hill, and there don't appear to be any top prospects waiting in the wings to take that opportunity.
It will be a fascinating discussion about where Bregman could land, especially if the Yankees become serious contenders for the veteran superstar.
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