MLB Free Agents 2013 Updates: Carlos Beltran Now No.1 Priority For New York Yankees This Offseason; Joe Nathan To Succeed Mariano Rivera

The New York Yankees have reportedly set their sights on free agent slugger Carlos Beltran and closer Joe Nathan, a source close to situation reported on Wednesday.

The Yankees have been really aggressive in monitoring the free agency market, as they plan to shell out big money to address their need following the suspension on Alex Rodriguez and the retirement of some of their veteran hurlers, including legendary closer Mariano Rivera.

According to Real GM, the Yankees considered Beltran as their No.1 target this offseason while they have remained determined to re-sign Robinson Cano despite inking Brian McCann to a five-year, $85 million deal.

The Yankees reportedly considered the 36-year-old Beltran as a better free-agent pickup than other free agent sluggers such as Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Nelson Cruz.

Beltran averaged .296 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs last season, but he further jacked up his production in the postseason as he batted .268 with two homers and 15 RBIs in 17 playoff games for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yankees Set Sights on Joe Nathan

The Yankees are reportedly interested in bringing in Nathan as the successor to Rivera, who retired at the end of the 2013 season after winning five world titles in New York.

Nathan, 39, collected 49 saves in the final year of his two-year, $14.75 million deal with the Texas Rangers. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman stressed that they are going to do everything to fill up the voids in their roster.  

"In a market where we have a lot of voids to fill, we're on a lot of things," Cashman told New York Daily News. "Whatever player gravitates toward us has a chance to get signed. This is probably not a market we want to get dragged out in."