Yesterday was a big news day for the New York Yankees. The day started with the news that the Yankees were close to a deal with their main priority, the signing of DJ LeMahieu. As the day quickly progressed, we learned that the Yankee signing would give both sides the negotiations they were looking for. The Yankees got a signing that would only cost them $15 million annually, and LeMahieu would get the security he was looking for with a six-year deal that would most likely lead to his retirement.
But the Yankees weren’t done shortly thereafter; they signed their second most important player to a contract extension. They signed Aaron Judge to a one year deal at $10.175 million contract as he avoided arbitration. That amount is pretty much on target with what he would have gotten in arbitration. So at the end of the day, two of the most important Yankee players are happy to be in pinstripes again.
For general manager Brian Cashman, he worked his magic again. By waiting out LeMahieu, he managed to get the star for much less than the industry was projecting. Most thought it would take $20-$25 million to land LeMahieu, especially with many teams interested in him. But unfortunately for DJ, the depressed market for free agents wasn’t going to let that happen. Cashman waited it out and then bounced on DJ with a surprise six-year contract, even beyond his five-year demand. The deal shocked the YES Network’s, Michael Kay.
After DJ refused the New York Yankees only qualifying offer, the Yankees made it clear that they wanted him back, and he made it clear that he wanted to remain a Yankee where he had the most success in his career during the two-year span with the club. He said he liked playing in New York and like his teammates. The Yankees wanted him to remain as well but were not going to overpay to keep him with the team that had other needs while staying under the luxury tax threshold that own Hal Steinbrenner wanted to try to achieve.
In a huge third big move, the Yankees have signed Corey Kluber. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report that the Yankees have agreed to a deal with the former two-time Cy Young Award winner. Details have not yet been revealed, but I heard this morning that the Yankees wanted a one year deal.
The 34-year-old Kluber won’t pull in that type of contract, but as a two-time American League Cy Young winner, he’s clearly a high-profile pickup for a Yankees team need of help in their starting pitching rotation. Kluber means the New York Yankees will have a premium number two starter in the pitching rotation after ace Gerrit Cole. If Kluber can return to his former form, that could produce stats very close to Cole and s needed two punch in the rotation that the Yankees need to their otherwise untested pitchers. It’s definitely a low-risk high reward move by the Yankees. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today the deal will pay Kluber $11 million to be a Yankee pitcher.