Yankees Honing In On First Baseman: "There Is A Deal To Be Made"

 

The hot stove has been scorching the past few days for the New York Yankees, and their apparent desire to trade for Oakland A's first baseman Matt Olson. And while that still seems to be the most sensible route for them to take, MLB insider Jon Heyman reports that the Yanks have also met with representatives for Atlanta Braves All-Star Freddie Freeman. 

Yankees met with reps for all top lefthanded-hitting 1B, including Freddie Freeman. Of course the Braves would seem most likely to retain Freeman, while Rizzo and perhaps trade candidate Olson, among others, may be more realistic for NYY. But it’s worth investigating the great FF

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 15, 2021

Freeman, as Heyman notes, is highly likely to stay in Atlanta, so all the buzz about Olson still makes the most sense here. As many have noted, Olson's left-handed power stroke would simply crush it at Yankee Stadium, with the short right-field porch. 

Matt Olson Is Built For Yankee Stadium pic.twitter.com/ztMOLDNcLf

— G.T Darren Klein (@Grunttalksmlb) November 15, 2021

The A's are in trading mode, and Olson is a prime candidate to be dealt. As noted by former MLB GM Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio this weekend,  "Yankees are all over the A's and Matt Olson...I love Olson on the Yankees, a perfect fit between Judge and Stanton... there is a deal to be made."

The Yanks, of course, still have their own free agent first baseman to consider, and Anthony Rizzo wasn't hiding his affinity for pinstripes when he made a public appearance at a charity event on the weekend. 

Anthony Rizzo was in a Yankees uniform on the shirts at his 10th annual Walk-Off For Cancer today

His dad was also wearing a Yankees hat and there were Yankees decorations everywhere

(via @RizzoFoundation) pic.twitter.com/yYsRSE70PJ

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) November 14, 2021

Rizzo was proudly displaying himself in a Yankees uniform on his charity's t-shirts, while his father clung to a Yankees hat.  

While Rizzo was a stabilizing force at 1B and in the clubhouse after coming over to New York from the Chicago Cubs at the deadline, his production wasn't other-worldly by any means, with a .249 average, and a pedestrian .768 OPS. 

Olson (and of course, Freeman) would make for a huge upgrade at first, and it's safe to assume, as Bowden noted, that GM Brian Cashman is in pretty detailed talks with A's executive VP Billy Beane and general manager David Forst. 

Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports