Will Yankees ‘Move Quickly’ On This Star Free Agent? MLB Execs Wonder

The New York Yankees have been linked to Freddie Freeman this offseason, and now that Major League Baseball free agency has resumed, the Bronx Bombers could intensify their efforts to sign the longtime Atlanta Braves first baseman.

That’s apparently a prevailing thought across MLB, with ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeting Thursday night that some rival executives are curious about whether the Yankees will attempt to “move quickly” on Freeman.

Freeman, a five-time All-Star, has spent his entire 12-year career with the Braves. He won the National League MVP Award during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and led Atlanta to a World Series title in 2021. Yet, it now seems possible the 32-year-old signs elsewhere before Opening Day.

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The Yankees are an interesting fit. They already have Luke Voit, who led the American League in home runs in 2020, on their roster, but that didn’t stop them from acquiring first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline last season. And it probably won’t preclude New York from continuing to kick the tires on Freeman with the MLB lockout over.

Of course, the Yankees will face stiff competition if they decide to go all-in for Freeman. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays are among the teams that have been floated as potential suitors for Freeman — one of the top players remaining in free agency — should he leave Atlanta.