NYY News: Soto, Burnes, Fried, and Adames rumors

Sports Illustrated | Karl Rasmussen : The Yankees had a 90-minute Zoom meeting with free agent starter Max Fried in recent days, per Michael Kay.

Kays source in Frieds camp indicated that the southpaw really, really liked what he heard from Yankees brass and that another call is already in the works.

An All-Star for the second time last year, Fried has a career 73-36 record and a 3.07 ERA and 3.29 FIP across parts of eight seasons with Atlanta.

The 30-year-old also has extensive postseason experience, appearing in 20 playoff games; his results (5.10 ERA) have been subpar, but he did clinch Game 6 of the 2021 World Series in Houston with a brilliant effort.

Check out Jeremys free agent target article on Fried for a more in-depth look at his background.

Fried wasnt the only top starter who got a Yankees Zoom, as per the New York Post , they also talked with Corbin Burnes.

This meeting happened last month, but its still on the record.

The 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner and erstwhile Brewers ace has earned Cy votes in each of the past five seasons and finished fifth last season, his first in the American League and perhaps his only year in Baltimore.

MLB.com | Mark Feinsand : MLB.coms senior national reporter cites sources indicating that, in the event that Juan Soto signs elsewhere, the Yankees Plan B may include free agent shortstop Willy Adames.

The 29-year-old, who slugged 32 home runs and knocked in 112 last season with the Brewers , would either shift to third or move Anthony Volpe, a Gold Glove finalist this year, to second should he sign with New York.

A source in Adames camp expressed the veterans desire to remain at shortstop while espousing the truism that if someone is going to pay you substantially more to play another position, you tend to be more OK with it.

Another potential suitor for Adames is the Giants, whose new president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, acknowledged it would be great to add a shortstop this offseason.

MLB.com : As the Soto rumors continue to consume the sport of baseball, MLB.com put out an insightful, stream-of-consciousness post in conversation with their Yankees , Mets , and Red Sox beat reporters as well as Feinsand.

While the group agrees that the Blue Jays are unlikely to land the superstar, Red Sox beat reporter Ian Browne was the lone voice expressing a belief that Boston is serious about their pursuit.

Browne, Feinsand, and Mets reporter Anthony DiComo all picked the Mets as Sotos most likely landing spot, while Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch demurred, implying the Yankees and Mets each have a legitimate path to securing his services.

New York Post | Joel Sherman : The Yankees received the gift of a fourth option for outfielder Everson Pereira and infielder Jorbit Vivas, giving the team more flexibility to keep both on their 40-man roster.

While teams typically have the option to send a player on their 40-man to the minors three times before having to pass them through waivers, exceptions can be made for players with less than five full pro seasons due to missing time with injury.

Pereira, who was Baseball Americas 67th-ranked prospect before last season, is considered the more valuable prospect (though his stock has fallen).

The fourth option will allow the Yankees to assign him to the minors as he recovers from the elbow surgery that ended his 2024 season.

The Athletic | Jim Bowden : ($) With MLBs annual winter meetings upcoming, the longtime MLB insider posits seven hypothetical trades that he sees as a potential fit for both sides.

This includes an intra-division swap, with the Yankees acquiring the Rays Yandy Diaz.

While Pete Alonso and Christian Walker are the top first basemen on the free agent market, Diaz would provide a cost-effective (the $10 million hes owed in 2025 is the extent of his guaranteed money) and reliable (an OPS+ of at least 110 in each of his six years in Tampa Bay) option at a position of great need for the Yankees.

Bowden suggests the Rays might part with the 33-year-old for a package of Brando Mayea, a teenage outfield prospect, and Zach Messinger, a right-handed pitcher left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams : The Yankees are one of as many as eight teams with interest in Tommy Kahnle, per Jon Heyman.

The 35-year-old changeup specialist had a strong 2024 with the Yankees and joins Clay Holmes, Tim Hill, and Jonathan Loaisiga among the many free agents from their bullpen.

Dan Martin is reporting that the Yankees are unlikely to pursue a reunion with Holmes.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe : Jaffe continues his breakdown of this years ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame with two pitchers whose cases are frequently compared: Andy Pettitte and Mark Buehrle.

The Cooperstown expert uses his JAWS and S-JAWS metrics to attempt to make the case for both starting pitchers, who finished with similar regular season marks.

He ends up lukewarm on both Pettittes and Buehrles cases, though he acknowledges having himself voted for Pettitte on last years ballot.

Baseball America | Seth Mates : With Topps announcement that a John Elway Yankees card will be included in their upcoming Bowman Draft release and an accompanying ad featuring Larry David reprising his Seinfeld characterization of George Steinbrenner Mates recounts the story of how the Yankees came to select the two-time Super Bowl champ in the 1981 draft ahead of Tony Gwynn and a slew of other future big-leaguers.

Elway slashed .318/.432/.896 in 1982 at Class-A Oneonta before deciding his future lay on the gridiron..

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