Reports: Yankees Have Eye On Hunter Meaning Likely Exit for Swisher; Kuroda Wants To Stay In New York

There has been speculation that the New York Yankees outfield will have a different look next season and it was learned today who might be patrolling right field at Yankees Stadium.  According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the Yankees have interest in signing Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim right fielder Torii Hunter.  Hunter has spent the last two seasons playing right field for the Angels after playing the majority of his career in centerfield. Last season, Hunter hit a career high .313 with 16 homeruns and 92 RBI.  A four-time All-Star, Hunter spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Minnesota Twins before signing with the Angels prior to the 2008 season.  He is a nine-time Gold Glove winner, winning the award from 2001-2009 while playing primarily centerfield.  He has played in six postseasons, compiling a .305 average with four homeruns and 18 RBI in 34 playoff games.  The Angels are not expected to make a qualifying offer to Hunter, meaning the Yankees could sign him without having to give up a draft pick. Meanwhile, the man Hunter would replace in right field should he sign with the Yankees is likely on his way out of New York.  According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Yankees will offer Swisher a one-year qualifying offer worth $13.3 million in the hopes he rejects the deal.  By offering him the one-year deal, the Yankees would receive draft compensation from whichever team signs him.  While Swisher is unlikely to get the Jayson Werth-type of deal many expected him to want, there is no doubt he could receive a long-term deal from another club.  In his four seasons with the Yankees, Swisher hit for a .268 average with 105 homeruns and 349 RBI.  However, in four postseasons with the Yankees, he had just seven RBI in 36 games and a .162 average (21-for-130). In other Yankees news, Heyman reports that starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda wants to only pitch for New York next season.  In his first season with the Yankees and in the American League after four years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kuroda was outstanding, compiling a 16-11 record with a 3.32 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 219.2 innings pitched.  His wins total and ERA were among the top 10 in the AL while his 1.17 WHIP was eighth best.  He continued his great pitching in the postseason, where in two starts he allowed just five runs in 16 innings pitched. Like Swisher, Kuroda’s one-year qualifying offer is worth $13.3 million.  The Yankees are expected to offer Kuroda that deal and then move towards completing a deal with the right hander.  If and when Kuroda and the Yankees work out a deal, he will be penciled in as the number two starter behind ace C.C. Sabathia.