Yankees' next free agency pivot is obvious after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension

So, your rivals extended their superstar first baseman for 14 years, and somehow that's not entirely a bad thing? Welcome to the home of the New York Yankees, where we can now officially eliminate any free agency delusion surrounding Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and move on with our days.

He's not coming here. He was extremely unlikely to ever choose to come here, despite what he was beginning to tell the media after being pressure to stop saying he hated it here. There was a possibility, though, that he would choose the Red Sox or the Mets. After all, Steve Cohen gets what he wants, and Pete Alonso (who'd prefer to be here long-term) isn't locked down. Plus, didn't you see that Fenway photoshop Vladdy liked a few months back? Nightmare fuel.

All for the best. The Mets will continue to make different splashes, and the Red Sox are good enough as it is without Soto and the Jays' newly minted 14-year slugger. The Yankees? They have some baked-in pivots, too, and a lot of money to spend ... elsewhere. Those Juan Soto savings aren't going to sit on themselves.

So, where do the Yankees most likely turn? Two targets are obvious, but after this past week of action (and Gerrit Cole's long road back), it's hard not to think about a certain ace addition, too.

Yankees' most likely free agent pivots after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signs with Blue Jays

Paul Goldschmidt has been a breath of fresh air at the first base position to start the season for the Yankees, but odds are the 37-year-old is here for a good time, not a long time. If he finishes the year strong, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Yankees run it back on a one-year pact, but they'll almost certainly pursue Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami instead, now that Guerrero Jr. is officially out of the picture. Murakami hasn't quite recaptured the heights of his 50-homer peak a few years back, but his sweet left-handed stroke could be revolutionary at Yankee Stadium.

Kyle Tucker, of course, will be the offseason's biggest prize. Even if Cody Bellinger opts back into another year in the Bronx, the Yankees will need to get Aaron Judge increasing DH reps as his career builds, and Giancarlo Stanton is very far from a permanent fixture at the position. Who knows? Maybe this deal ends up about a hundred million dollars too rich for the Yankees' blood, but they certainly have a greater chance of wooing him than they ever did Vlad Jr.

And, finally ... what about Zac Gallen? The Yankees thought they had too much pitching this offseason, and then they watched it all disappear in a flash after signing Max Fried. Gallen's an east coaster, and while his hometown Phillies will almost certainly be interested, his 13 K performance in April in the Bronx opened any straggling eyes that were still closed.

Expect the Yankees to go hard after all three players, while staying secretly satisfied that any extraneous Vlad Jr. rumors can officially be quieted now.