YANKEES HIT WITH $18.9 MILLION LUXURY TAX

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have been hit with an $18.9 million luxury tax by Major League Baseball, the 10th consecutive year they will pay a penalty for their spending. The Yankees finished with a $222.5 million payroll for purposes of the tax. Following its payroll-shedding trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, Boston finished just $47,177 under the $178 million threshold.