WHEN $256M IS NOT ENOUGH
The end result of Yanks’ cost-effective overhaul
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Yankees are in this strange universe. They are about to begin a season with their highest payroll ever both in dollars allocated and for luxury-tax purposes — and not by a few cents.
Yet, they are besieged by a perception of frugality. Can you be misers with a payroll beyond $250 million?
Such is life in the shadows of the old Boss (George Steinbrenner) and the new one (Steve Cohen).
The Yankees began the offseason with needs at shortstop and first base. And this was the most star-studded freeagent shortstop class in history.
And Freddie Freeman pretty much defined everything the
Yankees needed in a first baseman — superb on both sides of the ball, a lefty hitter with power, average and limited strikeouts plus a proven postseason performer. He too was a free agent.
But the Yankees’ trade for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and their reunion with Anthony Rizzo definitively took them out of the markets for Carlos Correa or Trevor Story or Freeman. The cost to access Kiner-Falefa and defense-first catcher Ben Rortvedt was to add the two years at $50 million owed to Josh Donaldson. In conjunction with Rizzo, the Yankees project to about a $256 million payroll for luxury-tax purposes. And it remains possible they will add a piece or two — perhaps more pitching and another outfield option who can play center.
In the end, only the Mets’ payroll will definitely be higher, probably the Dodgers too, especially if they land Freeman.
But these are the comparisons now for Hal Steinbrenner: the megamarket teams on both coasts — and that now includes the Mets with Cohen’s largesse. This is like a “Freaky Friday” body-switch movie — suddenly the team in town willing to spend resides in Queens. And for the team from The Bronx and its owner, the specter of George Steinbrenner lingers. It is always handy to pull out the, “This is what George would do,” when in reality we don’t know what that would be.
Clearly, though, there are financial stop signs in Hal Steinbrenner’s world. Nevertheless, the Yankees are over the second luxury tax threshold ($250 million) via the new collective bargaining agreement. But it would be shocking to see them exceed the third ($270 million) at a time when Cohen has indicated he will likely go over the fourth ($290 million) — a level created specifically to try to slow down the Mets owner and already nicknamed “The Cohen Tax.”
In talking to reporters on Wednesday, Steinbrenner said he will not let what any other owner does, including Cohen, influence his spending and that the Yankees’ current payroll reflects what he sees as prudent, citing (among other reasons for financial caution) the annual debt service associated with building Yankee Stadium and substantial losses due to no or limited
crowds the past two COVID-impacted seasons.
In the end, all that will matter is whether the Yankees have assembled a team good enough to win the AL East. Yep, let’s start with that before even discussing a first title since 2009. The Yankees have won their division only once in the past nine years. And the AL East is a bear. Four teams reached at least 90 wins in 2021 and the Rays, Red Sox and Blue Jays all remain strong (or stronger).
The Yankees have emphasized trying to get better defensively (especially up the middle), more lefthanded and more contact-oriented with their recent moves. That includes bringing back Rizzo on a two-year, $32 million pact in which the lefty-swinging first baseman can opt out after the 2022 season.
So what does this splurge of infield moves mean for the Yankees:
1. DJ LeMahieu, if healthy, is still going to get 500 plate appearances, even if the depth chart shows Rizzo at first, Gleyber Torres at second, Kiner-Falefa at short and Donaldson at third. When LeMahieu initially signed with the Yankees after the 2018 campaign, the idea was he would move around to get his 500 plate appearances and that will happen now among first, second and third.
Donaldson started just 91 of his 135 games at third last year (he was the DH otherwise). He has endured a bunch of leg injuries in recent years. He will play at 36. The only third baseman 36 or older to start even more than 65 games in the last five seasons was Justin Turner (136) last year. So there are probably 50 starts at third for LeMahieu without an injury to Donaldson, especially if Giancarlo Stanton can play the outfield to open up the DH spot once or twice a week.
LeMahieu will also start at second when Torres plays short — yep, he is still the backup shortstop, at least until Oswald Peraza is ready (or Anthony Volpe). And LeMahieu also has to show he is healthy after undergoing hernia surgery. If he is and he produces like 2019-20, he is going to play all the time — though maybe not in one spot.
2. Luke Voit is going to be traded before Opening Day. He is said to be in great shape and will have to show that to scouts in games — that he is over the knee injuries that crippled his 2021 season. But the Yanks are hopeful that now with a universal DH that teams that do not find what they want in free agency — and Kyle Schwarber (Phillies) and Nelson Cruz (Nationals) already have landing spots — will have interest in the guy who led the AL in homers in the shortened 2020 season.
3. The Yanks’ Opening Day catcher/infield last year was Gary Sanchez, Jay Bruce, LeMahieu, Torres (at short) and Gio Urshela. The overhaul to a much better defensive group has taken place.