A few of baseball’s biggest spenders could soon be circling the same prize.
The Phillies, Yankees and Red Sox are all being watched as possible third-base shoppers this winter, and the hot corner figures to be one of the more interesting spots on the market. The appeal is obvious: all three clubs have uncertainty at third, and all three have enough ambition to get involved if the right name shakes loose.
New York’s search has been ongoing for a while. The Yankees have cycled through different answers at third base over the last couple of seasons, but none has firmly taken hold.
“It wasn't long ago that they had Jazz Chisholm Jr. learn the position on the fly when they acquired him at the 2024 trade deadline. And since then, they've acquired Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario and Jose Caballero over the years to help fill the hot corner, without any of them able to capture it.
McMahon has been the biggest disappointment. While his defense has still been above-average, his offensive struggles have helped create the black hole in the bottom part of the Yankees' lineup,” SNY’s Phillip Martinez wrote.
Philadelphia’s situation is murkier in a different way. Alec Bohm gave the Phillies reasons to feel better as the season wore on after a rough opening stretch, but his future remains unresolved.
“Even though it was a dreadful start to the season, it was good to see Bohm bounce back as the season progressed. Overall, .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI.
The numbers certainly improved for the slugger, and he should be seen as a desirable target in free agency. However, whether or not he will be back with the Phillies remains to be seen.
This is a team that is trying to get a little bit younger, and handing out another potential long-term deal to a veteran might not be what they want to do," SI's Nick Ziegler wrote.
That uncertainty opens the door for a bigger swing, and Jim Bowden of The Athletic thinks one player could pull several of these clubs into a full-blown chase: Japanese star Teruaki Sato.
“Some teams believe he can stay at third base; others see him as best suited for first base or left field. Either way, the bat profiles for the middle of the order. I think he stays at third base initially and would be a perfect fit for teams like the Phillies, Red Sox, Angels and Yankees, which leads me to believe this will end up being a big-market bidding war,” Bowden wrote.
Sato would bring plenty of impact wherever he lands. He’s coming off a 39-home-run season and won the Triple Crown, while also showing enough defensive ability to handle third base. For teams trying to shore up the position, that kind of profile is going to draw serious attention.
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