Yankees Predicted to Blow Up Budget for Two Popular Stars

The New York Yankees are off to a slow start this offseason, with just a few small moves under their belts and huge goals still un-met. Meanwhile, their rivals are off to the races with big splash moves, worrying fans and appearing to leave the Yankees in the dust.

On a morning MLB Radio show appearance, former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips suggested that the Yankees may blow up their budget for a starting pitcher and an outfielder, with Tatsuya Imai or Michael King leading the pitching charge and Cody Bellinger remaining as their favorite outfield option.

"It does sound like they may be blowing up the budget a little bit to land one more starting pitcher, in addition to still needing to get Bellinger and/or somebody else," Phillips said. "It will be interesting to see what the Yankees do because if they lose Bellinger, their pivot isn't all that clear [...]."

"They're in on the pitcher(s), they're in on Bellinger, what do they do if they don't get any of those three?"

What Are the Yankees' Real Payroll Expectations?

Dec 21, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Hal Steinbrenner during a press conference at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images | Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images

The Yankees have had mixed responses to all of these questions. On the budget, Hal Steinbrenner said that it would be "ideal" for the Yankees' payroll to go down, but the second half of his quote is all-too-often left off completely.

"But does that mean that's going to happen? Of course not," Steinbrenner said in November. "We want to field a team we know could win a championship -- or we believe could win a championship."

Ahead of the winter meetings, general manager Brian Cashman explained that Steinbrenner had not given him a hard number yet for the offseason budget, and they have remained clear on the stance that they are open-minded, even on shocking trades.

The Yankees' 2025 projected luxury tax payroll was $318,095,908, per Spotrac, and all three of the players they still intend to target are expensive. The Athletic's big board of MLB free agents projects a seven-year, $182 million contract for Bellinger, an eight-year, $190 million contract for Imai and King is expected to land a three-year, $75 million contract. Of course, Imai and King are an either/or question.

Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a single in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has also downplayed the team's need for another starter, despite the fact that several of their star starters will be injured when the season begins. Carlos Rodon recently released a promising timeline putting him back in the rotation early in the season, but he will miss Opening Day along with Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt.

The Yankees have succeeded in remaining mysterious, if that is their goal, and the next couple weeks will clarify their willingness to take big swings one way or the other.

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