The Yankees have their first base solution for 2022 after signing Anthony Rizzo and trading Luke Voit to the Padres, while simultaneously breathing a sigh of relief that superstar first baseman Freddie Freeman did not sign with one of his reported multiple AL East candidates, instead moving far across the country and signing with the Dodgers.
But the Bombers themselves likely could have made a big play for the former MVP, but, despite being reportedly “impressed” with the five-time All-Star, “didn’t see the budgetary space developing” to afford a contract that would certainly be north of $150 million, according to a report by ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Per Olney, Freeman’s agent Casey Close (Derek Jeter’s agent during his playing days), initiated a Zoom meeting between Freeman and Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, and while both liked what they heard from Freeman, but Cashman told Close afterward that the team didn’t see it in their budget to sign Freeman to the big deal that he would command.
Freeman ultimately signed a six-year, $162 million deal with the Dodgers, and the Yanks inked Rizzo to a two-year, $32 million deal.
A large portion of the Yankee fanbase has expressed frustration with New York’s new spending habits, which hardly reflect the ways of the late George Steinbrenner, now being replicated by Mets owner Steve Cohen just miles away. While Freeman represented exactly what the Yanks needed in a dynamic lefty bat with great defense at first base, Cashman reportedly declared that such a salary is not one that fit the team’s self-imposed budget.
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