The New York Yankees are typically a threat to sign any of the top free agents on the market, but it does not sound like they will be making anymore big splashes this offseason.
Longtime Yankees analyst Jack Curry spoke during Sunday’s spring training game about the potential of the team pursuing either Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, who are the two top pitchers still available in free agency.
Curry mentioned how the Yankees are already above the luxury tax threshold, so signing Snell to a deal worth around $30M per year would really cost New York more than $60M per year.
For that reason, Curry does not see the Yankees joining the Snell or Montgomery sweepstakes.
“If you consider someone like Snell a $30M pitcher, and he can contribute to you at that level. Do you consider him a $63M pitcher?” Curry asked. “That’s a lot more difficult to swallow. So, I think in terms of improving, the Yankees are always trying to do that and they’re always looking. I don’t believe you’ll end up seeing them looking too deep into Snell and Montgomery.”
The Yankees have been linked to Snell for quite some time. Steinbrenner indicated over the weekend that he is not thrilled with the team’s starting rotation, so another big signing cannot totally be ruled out.
Snell and Montgomery are two of agent Scott Boras’ big four clients who are unsigned. Boras is waiting for teams to cave and offer his players the kind of contracts he is seeking.
Even if the Yankees do still have interest, they probably want the price to come down before they would consider adding either pitcher.
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