Before ultimately settling on a one-year, $12.5 million deal with veteran Paul Goldschmidt, the New York Yankees had a variety of options to replace Anthony Rizzo at first base this offseason.
Oct 15, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Cleveland Guardians first base Josh Naylor (22) hits a RBI sacrifice fly during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The top free-agent options included four-time All-Star Pete Alonso, who is still unsigned, and Gold Glove-winning slugger Christian Walker, who signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Houston Astros in December. Notable first basemen mentioned in trade rumors included Josh Naylor, Nathaniel Lowe, and Yandy Díaz—two of whom were moved.
While Walker may have been a fit due to his offensive and defensive abilities, ESPN’s Jorge Castillo clarified Thursday that the Yankees did not want to pay the penalty for signing a player who had received a qualifying offer. That would have also applied to Alonso, but Castillo reported that the Yankees never truly had interest in him. Despite passing on the top two free agents, the Yankees reportedly still tried to make a splash before choosing the 37-year-old Goldschmidt.
“The Yankees engaged in discussions with the Cleveland Guardians about Josh Naylor, but the two sides couldn’t come to a resolution,” Castillo wrote Thursday. Ultimately, Naylor was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2020 first-rounder Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick, just hours after the Goldschmidt signing was first reported.
Naylor, 27, played a career-high 152 games with Cleveland last season. The left-handed slugger hit .243/.320/.456 with 31 home runs and 108 RBI over 633 plate appearances during the regular season before struggling to a .531 OPS in 10 postseason games.
Defensively, Naylor recorded -6 defensive runs saved and ranked just behind Goldschmidt on Statcast's Outs Above Average leaderboard—both finished with zero in 2024. Naylor will earn $10.9 million this upcoming season after avoiding arbitration.
Goldschmidt, on the other hand, hit .245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs and 65 RBI over 154 games last season. The seven-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and 2022 NL MVP got off to a slow start in 2024 but rebounded with a .799 OPS over his final 62 games.
It remains to be seen whether Goldschmidt will be more than a one-year stopgap solution in the Bronx. However, if the Yankees decide to pursue a long-term answer at first base next offseason, Naylor could be a name to watch.
Barring an extension, Naylor is set to become a free agent after the 2025 World Series. He will be one of the top first-base options in a class that also includes Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and record-breaking Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami.
Spotrac currently estimates Naylor’s market value at five years and $100 million. For comparison, Guerrero is projected to sign a 12-year deal worth $427 million, though some believe that figure could rise to $500 million or more with a strong 2025 campaign and multiple deep-pocketed teams vying for his services.
If that holds, Naylor with a $20 million AAV could be more appealing to teams unwilling to break the bank on a position that, in recent years, has seen its monetary value decline, similar to running backs in the NFL.
