Yanks drop to third in payroll
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Where the Yankees’ $195 million payroll would rank among MLB clubs didn’t dominate Hal Steinbrenner’s weekend.
So, it wasn’t big news to Steinbrenner that the Yankees are ranked third in the majors in total payroll behind the Dodgers ($225 million) and Tigers ($199.75 million) according to the Associated Press. It’s the first time since 1993 the Yankees aren’t in the top two. According to the AP’s math, the Yankees had the top payroll from 1999-2013.
“We have more money coming off this year, and as always we will put money back into the team in areas we feel we need to,’’ Steinbrenner wrote in an email to The Post. “It will also, however, give us the opportunity to bring payroll down closer to or below the [luxuy-tax] threshold ($197 million next year; $2 million higher than this season) should we decide to.’’
With $64.9 million vanishing from the books after this season in contracts for Alex Rodriguez ($27.5 million), CC Sabathia ($24.4 million) and Matt Holliday ($13 million), the Yankees will have money to reinvest like they did this past offseason when Aroldis Chapman was brought back for five years and $86 million after Mark Teixeira’s (eight years, $180 million) and Carlos Beltran’s (three years, $45 million) contracts went away.
Luis Severino is the Yankees’ starter Wednesday against the Rays. With the Yankees off Monday, Severino threw to hitters at the Yankees’ minor league complex.
The Yankees are anxious to see how Severino does back in the rotation after winning the No. 4 spot in spring training. Last year in 11 starts he went 0-8 with an 8.50 ERA in the big leagues.