COULD FREDDIE FREEMAN BE A YANKEE IN 2022?

It is no surprise that Freddie Freeman is one of the top, if not the top, free agent in this year's cohort. The 2020 NL MVP and World Series Champion first base man is being pursued by the Yankees and division rival Toronto Blue Jays. Could Freeman be a Yankee in 2022? Why not!

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network's Tweet on Tuesday afternoon, "Teams are trying to pry superstar 1B Freddie Freeman from Atlanta. Some say they still don’t think it will happen but r surprised he’s still free. Dodgers, who lost Seager and could move Muncy to 2B, may have best hope for SoCal product, NYY, TOR (h/t Carlos Baerga) reached out." Would the Yankees even want to bring in another first baseman when they need a shortstop and likely a center fielder, not to mention more starting pitching? Stranger things have happened.

"Freeman is one of the game’s most consistently productive hitters, having been at least 32 percentage points better than average at the plate (by measure of wRC+) in each season since 2013," wrote MLB Rumors. Even though that is an attractive reason to go for Freeman, plus he is an all around great guy and would add amazing chemistry to the Yankee clubhouse, the Yankees need to go after what they need right now: short stop, center field and a starting pitcher. 

MLB Network's Jon Morosi tweeted, "Free agent Chris Taylor is drawing broad interest and could sign by Wednesday. Dodgers would like to retain him. Blue Jays, Mariners, Angels, and Nationals also have been involved over the past week." What about Taylor, who can play outfield, shortstop and second base? He put up great numbers this past year and would be a better choice given the Yankees current needs. 

Could Freddie Freeman be a Yankee in 2022? Sure. Will he be? Not likely. Given the Yankees deficits, they need to stay focused on filling positions of high need. And with Corey Kluber, Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and other players off the roster and on other teams, the Yankees need to start to fill the void with players who can keep the team competitive and fresh for a fight for the East and eventual World Series run. As much as I would love to see Freeman in pinstripes, they need to pass. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof