With Carlos Rodón, Yankees Continue Making Most of Their Financial Might
When Hal Steinbrenner met with Aaron Judge earlier this offseason, the Yankees owner signaled a willingness to spend big on the outfielder. But the owner also knew he couldn’t stop there.
“We have plenty of ability — and Aaron and I talked about this — to make other things happen, too,” Steinbrenner said in mid-November, per The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.
Credit where credit is due: Steinbrenner, who made those comments before Judge agreed to a record-setting deal, has lived up to his word and then some. With roughly $573.5 million in commitments made this offseason, The Boss’ son has appeased critical fans and upgraded his ballclub with a spending spree that would have made his father proud.
Re-signing Judge was New York’s top priority this winter, and Steinbrenner played a pivotal part in closing the nine-year, $360 million contract. The pact, still unofficial, will give Judge an average annual value of $40 million, the most ever for a position player. It will also pay Judge $146.5 million (and two years) more than the extension offer the Yankees proposed prior to the slugger’s historic MVP season.
With Judge already returning, the Yankees agreed to another mega-millions contract on Thursday night. The team and Carlos Rodón came to terms on a six-year, $162 million deal that will pay the southpaw an average annual salary of $27 million.
With a strong staff already in place, New York didn’t necessarily need Rodón. But the 30-year-old was easily the best pitcher left on the open market after two straight All-Star appearances, and so the Yankees pounced at an opportunity to put their rotation over the top.
With Rodón, Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas, the Yankees now have a case for the best quintet in baseball (though the crosstown Mets, who have also spent lavishly, may have something to say about that).
New York also gave first baseman Anthony Rizzo a $40 million guarantee and reunited with reliever Tommy Kahnle on a two-year, $11.5 million contract this offseason. All in all, the Yankees have spent well over half a billion dollars since the Astros swept them in the American League Championship Series, an embarrassing performance that left the Bronx faithful frustrated and more demanding than ever.
Those demands have been met, but the Yankees are probably not done yet. They still need a left fielder, and perhaps another reliever. Surpassing $600 million in future commitments is within the realm of possibility, though Brian Cashman is surely trying to shed some salary by exploring trades for Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks — tasks that are easier typed than done.
Regardless, the Yankees have enjoyed a vintage offseason, one their fan base — clamoring for a World Series appearance since 2009 — surely appreciates. All this financial might doesn’t ensure a championship, but it does harken back to the days of the Evil Empire.
At the very least, Steinbrenner has made a colossal investment in hopes of ending New York’s drought. Now it’s time for the Yankees to deliver on the field.
MORE:
- Yankees Sign Carlos Rodón to Six-Year Deal in Free Agency
- Yankees Prepared New Mets RP David Robertson For Success
- Yankees Add 2 Pitchers on MiLB Deals, Including a Bronx Talent
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