“Not less than six groups…plan to aggressively pursue” free agent first baseman Christian Walker, USA At the moment’s Bob Nightengale writes, including that the Yankees, Nationals, and Diamondbacks are among the groups concerned within the hunt. The Mets are talked about as maybe extra of a peripheral suitor, as Nightengale speculates that the Mets might chase Walker if Pete Alonso isn’t re-signed.
Ranked thirteenth on MLBTR’s listing of the offseason’s prime 50 free brokers, Walker is projected for a three-year, $60MM deal, with the shorter-term nature of that contract reflecting the truth that Walker will likely be 34 on Opening Day. At the same time as he will get deeper into his 30’s, nonetheless, Walker hasn’t proven a lot signal of slowing down. During the last three seasons, the primary baseman has hit .250/.332/.481 with 95 house runs over 1880 plate appearances with Arizona, which works out to a strong 120 wRC+. On prime of that offense comes standout protection, as Walker has gained the final three NL Gold Gloves and Fielding Bible awards in 2022-23 for his excellent work at first base.
As a result of Walker will probably be getting a comparatively quick contract, any variety of groups might conceivably be available in the market for his companies past simply the standard large spenders. This might assist the Diamondbacks (who’ve roughly $157.5MM already on the books for 2025) keep within the bidding, and one would think about Arizona might need some additional benefit since Walker has said that he has loved his time with the D’Backs. Since Walker was issued a qualifying supply that he’s certain to reject, a brand new group must surrender draft picks and presumably worldwide bonus pool cash to signal him, whereas the Diamondbacks would face no penalty for re-signing their very own free agent.
Retaining Walker would instantly patch an enormous gap in an Arizona lineup that is also shedding Joc Pederson and Randal Grichuk in free company. Pavin Smith hit nicely in 2024 and could be an attention-grabbing backup plan (in at the least a platoon capability) at first base if Walker left, although within the occasion that Walker returned, the D’Backs might then extra comfortably view Smith a substitute for Pederson’s left-handed bat.
The Yankees even have a transparent want at first base since Anthony Rizzo isn’t anticipated to be re-signed, and DJ LeMahieu has been in sharp decline during the last two seasons. Walker would convey extra pop into New York’s lineup, and shore up the infield protection that all of the sudden turned a problem in the course of the World Collection. (For what it’s value, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco and Darragh McDonald each predicted Walker would signal with the Yankees throughout the prime 50 listing’s projections.)
Signing a QO-rejecting free agent comes at a very stiff worth for the Yankees, as since they exceeded the posh tax threshold, they’d have to surrender two draft picks and $1MM in worldwide bonus cash. This isn’t essentially a roadblock for New York if the membership significantly likes what Walker can supply, and the Yankees might need an fringe of their very own on the qualifying supply entrance since they wouldn’t have to surrender picks to re-sign Juan Soto. It has been speculated that the Yankees would possibly flip to Alonso because the backup plan if Soto goes elsewhere, but even in that situation, New York would possibly nonetheless desire Walker because of the cheaper price tag and higher all-around worth, as Alonso is just a satisfactory defender.
Washington is probably probably the most attention-grabbing of the three recognized suitors, as not like the D’Backs and Yankees, it has been some time for the reason that Nats had been in competition. The membership’s rebuild course of has introduced some very attention-grabbing youthful constructing blocks (James Wooden, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, MacKenzie Gore, Luis Garcia Jr., and many others.) to the District, and with Wooden and Crews now within the majors, there have been rumblings that the Nats are prepared to show the nook again in the direction of competition. Signing Walker would have some echos of the Nationals’ signing of Jayson Werth in the course of the 2010-11 offseason, as that big-ticket addition signaled that the Nats had been going to begin competing after years of rebuilding.
President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo has overtly said that the Nationals are on the lookout for extra pop in the course of the lineup, and first base is the logical place for such an improve. Washington acquired a cumulative 0.3 bWAR from their first basemen in 2024, and the membership has already began clearing house on the place by parting methods with Joey Gallo and Joey Meneses.
For the reason that Nationals weren’t luxurious tax payors and don’t obtain income sharing, they face the mid-range penalty for signing a certified free agent — their second-highest 2025 draft decide and $500K in worldwide pool cash. The general payroll impression for Walker might be simply absorbed since Washington has solely Keibert Ruiz’s contract on the books, along with the 2 remaining years’ value of wage nonetheless owed to Stephen Strasburg.
