The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Sign this man The Yankees need to bring back LeMahieu
DJ LeMahieu is a nobrainer. Arguably the Yankees MVP the last two seasons, they should do anything they can to make sure the versatile infielder and batting champion is back in pinstripes in 2021. That includes making him a qualifying offer.
The other two options, James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka, are closer calls. The Yankees’ decision on them will not be as clear cut and actually will be telling about the organization’s financial intentions heading into next season.
With the World Series beginning on Tuesday night and the Yankees yet again home watching, it’s time for GM Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner to figure out how they plan to end an 11-year World Series drought. Qualifying offers this year are reportedly $ 18.9 million for the 2021 season. Teams have until five days after the conclusion of the World Series to make qualifying offers to pending free agents who were with them the entire 2020 season and who have never had a qualifying offer made to them before in their career.
Players have 10 days to decide whether to accept or decline the offers and can have contact with other teams during that period.
In past offseasons, teams used the qualifying offers generously. It guaranteed a team that lost a free agent compensation in terms of a draft pick. As the price on the qualifying offer con
tracts went up, however, teams became more discriminating.
With the financial losses of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic closing ballparks to fans, the qualifying offers could be even more discriminating this year. Even if teams are able to open their gates next season, at least parts of their fan bases have been hit hard by the pandemic, making it difficult to expect a financial rebound in 2021.
Steinbrenner admitted last week that the Yankees lost more money in the coronavirus pandemicshortened MLB season than any other team. So after taking what is described as a huge financial hit in 2020 and not sure that they can recoup some of their costs in 2021, how comfortable would they be adding three $ 18.9 million contracts?
For LeMahieu, who is arguably the best position player free agent on the market, it’s a no-brainer because $ 18.9 would be a bargain. As two rival executives told the News earlier this month, he is likely to be an exception to the rule this winter.
“I think he gets paid without the ‘Covid tax,’ only a handful will,” one AL exec said. “Very complete player, defensive versatility and one of the best right-handed hitters in the game.”
LeMahieu is looking at a contract around $ 20 million next season — somewhere. He would almost certainly decline the offer with other teams willing to offer more. The Yankees then would guarantee that if they cannot work out a longer-term deal with LeMahieu (perhaps he’d give them a discount of four years at $ 80 million), they will at least get some compensation in the draft.
With Tanaka, the Yankees have to wonder if they could get him back for less than $ 18.9 million. Tanaka was 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA over 10 starts this season. One rival American League executive thinks they can, saying he would be comfortable offering the 31-year old right-hander, who until this postseason was considered the Yankees’ best in big games, $ 12 to $ 14 million per year on a two-year deal.
“The two postseason starts didn’t show me much in terms of decline,” the executive said, “he’s still competitive and he’s already learned to adapt. He’d
be a solid rotation option for them as their younger pitchers develop.”
Paxton is a little harder to get a feel for from the outside. The 31-year old had back surgery in February and then spent the final month and a half on the injured list with a strained forearm flexor. After suffering a setback in his rehab, Paxton was on the field doing his rehab during the playoffs with Aaron Boone saying that the lefthander could have been available if the Yankees advanced to the World Series.
With the fuzzy financial picture heading into 2021 and Paxton’s inconsistent history of streaks of brilliance (late 2019), struggles (early 2019) and injuries, there is no telling where the free agent market would be for him this winter.
A qualifying offer could be a chance for Paxton to rebuild his market value for next winter and the Yankees could land a solid starter at a reduced rate. It is also a risk if Paxton misses significant time in 2021 with injuries.
The Yankees have to think about how they want to spend their resources this winter and that begins with qualifying offers in the next two weeks.