The New York Yankees are expected to be aggressive at the MLB trade deadline, and there's a chance they add an underrated hitter.
With the July 30 deadline just over a week away, the Yankees were listed as a potential landing spot for Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker by The Athletic.
The Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers were also listed as potential landing spots.
"Few players in the game have been as overlooked in the last few years as Christian Walker, who ranks fourth in WAR at first base dating to 2020. He brings power at the plate and a slick glove at first. He’s a guy who can help deepen the middle of most any order from the right side," wrote Tom Britton and Aaron Gleeman.
Adding Walker to the lineup would be a dream scenario for the Yankees. He would solve their issues at first base for the remainder of the season while giving viable protection for Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
During the first half of the season, Walker was a major All-Star snub. He hit .264 with 22 home runs, 66 RBI and a .837 OPS.
The Yankees have gotten a pleasant surprise in the form of rookie Ben Rice, who has become the everyday first baseman in the absence of Anthony Rizzo, who is still recovering from a fractured arm.
Despite his unappealing .211 average, Rice has a 112 OPS+ and has shown plenty of promise against right-handed pitching. He's fared much worse against lefties, though, with a 62 OPS+ in 27 plate appearances.
Given that Walker is a rental for an acquiring team, he may not be as costly as some other potential additions at the deadline, but the Yankees are still going to need to pay up considering his talent.
It might be an unlikely scenario, but Walker would be a dream target for the Yankees to add to the roster at the deadline.
