HAPPY RETURN
Yankees, J.A. agree to deal worth up to 3 years, $51M
After missing out on Patrick Corbin and other available starters, the Yankees reached an agreement Wednesday night with J.A. Happ on a two-year deal with an option for a third season based on games started or an innings-pitched threshold in 2020. The deal is expected to be official Thursday.
LAS VEGAS — Assuming their talks with J.A. Happ cross the goal line, the Yankees get a B for their starting-rotation makeover.
Shoot, if they had re-signed Happ on Nov. 19 and traded for James Paxton this week here at the winter meetings, it might even feel like a B+.
Either way, the question now becomes, what can the Yankees do to compensate for not getting an A?
One columnist’s proposal: Bullpen, defense and — looking at it through a financial prism — contract extensions. Notice no mention of the words “Manny Machado” in that sentence.
Let this be a Yankees offseason in which the pragmatic trumps the pyrotechnic.
The Yankees’ turn toward Happ, and their willingness to include a carrot for a third year, should conclude a rollercoaster ride of starting-rotation expectations during which they quickly re-upped with CC Sabathia (expected), acquired Paxton from the Mariners (unexpected), saw Patrick Corbin spurn them for a lot more money from the Nationals (unexpected), watched from afar as Nathan Eovaldi accepted a $68 million leap of faith from the Red Sox (expected non-reunion with the Yankees, unexpected financial commitment) and, most likely, brought back Happ (expected).
The end result optimally produces an Opening Day assignment for Luis Severino followed by Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Happ and Sabathia, with Chance Adams, Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga providing depth and Jordan Montgomery a possibility to return from Tommy John surgery in the second half. While Brian Cashman said Wednesday he’d be openminded to adding even another starter, he indicated that he would also pivot toward the clubs’ other needs of bullpen and infield. Meaning that Noah Syndergaard, Corey Kluber and Madison Bumgarner are all unlikely to become Yankees any time soon.
If this rotation lacks the pizzazz of the Astros’ frontline guys (Justin Verlander and Gerritt Cole) or the championship shine of the Red Sox’s elite arms (Chris Sale, David Price and Eovaldi), it nevertheless possesses the potential to produce a championship through both depth and dominance.
Considerably more depth throughout the roster will be necessary. With superagent Scott Boras insisting Wednesday the Yankees aren’t out on Bryce Harper despite strong evidence to the contrary, why not tell Boras they’ll instead re-sign his free-agent closer Zach Britton to something like a three-year, $45 million contract, then give three years and $30ish million to breakout star (and native New Yorker) Adam Ottavino? Hand secondyear skipper Aaron Boone another stellar bullpen and provide plenty of cover for closer Aroldis Chapman, who spent time on the disabled list last year, as well as for the rotation.
Instead of Machado, who looks like an awful fit personality-wise, sign Freddy Galvis (whom the Yankees have engaged, as The Post’s Joel Sherman reported) to play shortstop every day until Gregorius returns. Let Gleyber Torres stay at second base and see if he matures with a year under his belt. Honor Miguel Andujar’s special bat, a nice weapon as the Yankees work to become less strikeout-heavy like the Red Sox and Astros, by not trading him and allowing to improve defensively at third base.
As long as Gregorius comes back to the lineup midseason and looks like his old self, the Yankees should pay him a premium to keep him out of free agency a year from now. Walk-year guys Dellin Betances and Aaron Hicks also merit serious consideration for extensions given both their performance levels and how well they integrate into the clubhouse culture.
This currently doesn’t feel like one of those electrifying Yankees winters, yet is that necessarily a bad thing? Last year’s acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton got everyone talking … and delivered a worse postseason showing than 2017. For every offseason in which the Yankees’ big buys came through, like Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett in 2009, you can come up with a few when exhilaration turned into heartbreak. A Machado signing would provide a nice kick now and then maybe a far more painful kick down the road.
A B grade gets the first job done. Even a couple of more Bs might prove sufficient to get the Yankees, a pretty good team last year despite a disappointing finish, the October A they want so badly.
LAS VEGAS — J.A. Happ’s imminent return to the Yankees gives the club five starters for five spots. What it doesn’t do is halt the hunt for more.
Happ agreed to a two-year deal with an option on Wednesday that will become official and announced after contract language is worked out.
When done, Happ’s deal will be for two years at $34 million — $17 million each season — with a $17 million 2021 option based on games started or an inningspitched threshold in 2020. So it could be three years at $51 million if it maxes out.
“It gives me more comfort,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said about adding a starter, but didn’t identify Happ. “It doesn’t mean we would be out of the market altogether. Obviously the [James] Paxton acquisition gave us the ability to be a lot more disciplined and patient. If we pull down another one it will put us in a much stronger position to feel better about the rotation. But that doesn’t preclude us to being open-minded about any options that develop over time.’’
Cashman said filling out the five-man rotation with the 36-year-old Happ allows him focus on other areas. He has been looking for two relievers to work in front of closer Aroldis Chapman and setup man Dellin Be- tances and an infielder who can play short until Didi Gregorius returns from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
Yet, if another starting candidate surfaces in free agency or a trade, Cashman isn’t going to ignore him simply because he has Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Paxton and Happ.
“If we are able to close the loop on something [Happ], that is not going to preclude me from being open-minded moving forward,’’ Cashman said.
One possibility is 27-year-old free agent lefty Yusei Kikuchi, who some teams view as a reliever after being a starter in eight seasons in Japan, where he went 74-48 with a 2.81 ERA in 163 games (158 starts). Kikuchi could offer rotation insurance while filling one of the two vacancies in the bullpen. Zach Britton, who is being shopped as a closer, and David Robertson are free agents, which created the bullpen openings in The Bronx.
Having watched Happ go 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts after coming from the Blue Jays in late July for infielder Brandon Drury and outfielder Billy McKinney provided Cashman with a comfort level of what Happ was about.
“He was a performer, took the ball every five days. He came as advertised, a real pro and had a veteran’s presence in the clubhouse,’’ Cashman said when asked what he liked about Happ, who went a combined 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 31 starts and was a first-time All Star before pitching poorly in a Game 1 loss to the Red Sox in the ALDS. In two-plus innings the Red Sox spanked Happ for five runs four hits. “He knew exactly what was necessary and brought it every five days in the most competitive division in all of baseball in the world. He checks all the boxes on that side of it.’’
In the past three years while working for the Blue Jays and Yankees, Happ posted a 47-21 record and a 3.44 ERA.
As for the bullpen vacancies, there is a little more depth in the free-agent market than there is for starters.
Andrew Miller, Adam Ottavino and Robertson are the headliners for non-closers. Craig Kimbrel, Jeurys Familia and Britton are closers who remain unsigned.
On the day agent Scott Boras said the Yankees haven’t informed him they are out on free agent outfielder Bryce Harper despite Cashman saying this week there is no room for another outfielder, Manny Machado’s name continued to be linked with the Yankees, who haven’t publicly ruled him out.
However, if the 26-year-old Machado becomes a Yankee it’s very possible he won’t get the $300 million-plus deal he reportedly is seeking.