with New York Yankees After a setback against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, it became clear that upgrades were necessary. While I don’t believe Anthony Rizzo was solely responsible for the mistake in the fifth inning that led to the Dodgers rally in game five, it is also true that Rizzo wasn’t as productive as the team had hoped.

It can’t be completely ruled out that Rizzo won’t return to the Yankees, but the team won’t find success at this point. Rizzo is a stand-up actor and person on and off the fieldbut the writing is on the wall here. However, there are three players who could replace Rizzo and bring more stability to the Yankees roster.

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France The cheapest of the three options is the first reserve up for grabs. His stock is low after a poor season in 2024, and he has a good enough track record that a team would want to try here. For his career, he has a .263/.337/.407 line with a 113 wRC+ and makes neutral splits against lefties and righties.

Five years younger than Rizzo, France still has plenty in the tank and will have better protection on the Yankees roster than Cincinnati, which is in the bottom half in runs per game in 2024. Since 2020 France 0.266/. .340/.408 compared to Rizzo’s .235/.331/.416. He probably won’t have a much higher strikeout, but his ability to hit a higher average in today’s game will at least be worth the price the Yankees could get for him if they need a running back option.

The Yankees would be a sneaky candidate if they upgraded at first base. After the Cubs learned that Cody Bellinger had signed for 2025, it effectively took them out of the running. Pete Alonsobarring any unforeseen blockbuster trades that open up a spot on their roster. Therefore, the Yankees could end up in a bidding war with their crosstown rivals, especially if they miss out on re-signing Juan Soto.

Alonso’s history speaks for itself. He has been one of the best power hitters in baseball over the last six years, and even if the Yankees sign Soto in free agency, they shouldn’t stop there. The Dodgers have a stack in the coming years, and if they want to compete with LA, teams will need to start building their own superteams. is the favorite to make it out of the American League next season.

It remains to be seen whether the Arizona Diamondbacks will offer Christian Walker his value in free agency. One team that has the money to lure him away from the desert is New York; This team will guarantee better production not only on the field but also defensively.

Walker has injury trouble in 2024, but still incision He hit .251/.335/.468 with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs in 130 games. He scored 30-plus goals in a row two years ago and could have eclipsed that mark for a third straight season in 2024 had he not been injured. Needless to say, he won the Gold Glove Award twice and was a finalist once. This winter is the third year in a row. He’s 33 years old, but he doesn’t seem to be slowing down much. Arizona has to open her checkbook here to stop him from walking.